{"id":26140,"date":"2015-10-30T16:25:44","date_gmt":"2015-10-30T20:25:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=26140"},"modified":"2015-11-02T08:27:38","modified_gmt":"2015-11-02T13:27:38","slug":"unpluguoft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2015\/10\/30\/unpluguoft\/","title":{"rendered":"#UnplugUofT"},"content":{"rendered":"Hi there!\r\n\r\nWhere is your phone right now? If you are like me, the answer is almost certainly face-up on the desk beside you, or in your pocket on vibrate. I keep my phone within arms length at all times.\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_26144\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26144\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-26144\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"my phone is always near me\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26144\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">my phone is my staple study-buddy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<!--more-->Today too, I have my phone sitting face-up beside me. Usually, I am kept company\u00a0by the\u00a0frequent glow of the screen to notify me that my tweet has been favourited (follow me @HealthyUofT!) or that the latest edition of my favorite\u00a0online magazine is available. As of late, however, I have intentionally turned off my\u00a0phone notifications\u00a0and\u00a0even\u00a0disabled\u00a0my data. Welcome to my life, \"unplugged\". I've been\u00a0unplugging like this since Wednesday, and it's not because I've gone\u00a0over my data usage (again) this month!\r\n\r\nThis Wednesday marked the kick-off\u00a0of the\u00a0#UnplugUofT campaign, an initiative\u00a0that\u00a0asked students to\u00a0create a pledge to\u00a0take control of\u00a0their device use. The list of positive, healthful impacts from\u00a0reducing or\u00a0regulating\u00a0mobile phone usage are extensive: better connection with those around you; reduced stress and anxiety; and more mindful engagement in your day-to-day activities.\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_26146\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26146\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/12185277_1069450893079380_6041273213958355424_o.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-26146 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/12185277_1069450893079380_6041273213958355424_o-300x97.png\" alt=\"12185277_1069450893079380_6041273213958355424_o\" width=\"300\" height=\"97\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/12185277_1069450893079380_6041273213958355424_o-300x97.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/12185277_1069450893079380_6041273213958355424_o-1024x330.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/12185277_1069450893079380_6041273213958355424_o-500x161.png 500w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/12185277_1069450893079380_6041273213958355424_o.png 1702w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26146\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wednesday was the kick-off for #UnplugUofT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\nThis all sounds great. But when I was encouraged to participate in #UnplugUofT on Wednesday, I laughed. Me without my phone? How would I remember my name and birthdate without it?\r\n\r\nMy phone, after all, is an extension of how I experience my day. It is the medium for a huge number of helpful apps, news coverage, and entertainment. I\u2019m sure I don\u2019t need to start listing my vices\/apps,\u00a0as I am assuming\u00a0that for many of you, your phone serves a similar role to you.\r\n\r\nYet\u00a0I embraced an Unplugging event under the conditions that for one day, I\u00a0would be able to\u00a0reap the benefits of being in control of my device and not the other way around!\r\n\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dRl8EIhrQjQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\r\n\r\nMy pledge: On Wednesday, October 28, 2015, I, Madelin, pledged to use my app-based, internet-dependent smartphone like I did my old, decrepit, internet-deprived Blackberry\u2014for the exclusive role of receiving calls, text messages, and as an alarm clock.\r\n\r\nHere\u2019s how it went:\r\n\r\nOn Tuesday evening I\u00a0switched\u00a0my phone\u00a0to its \"Do Not Disturb\" functionality, allowing for calls and text messages. I also disabled my WiFi and data - essentially taking my phone back to the good ol' days of 2006.\r\n\r\nOn Wednesday morning when I woke up, I checked my phone as is\u00a0my daily habit to know the happenings of the past 8-9 hours while I was asleep. According to my screen, there\u00a0was nothing to report. I slept well without my phone screen lighting up my room or buzzing, and I wasn\u2019t immediately distracted by wishing friends\u2019 happy birthdays on social media, or responding to emails.\r\n\r\nIt was a good start to a full day of academic endeavours for me\u2014 a writing centre appointment, followed by writing an exam, followed by a productive re-working of a paper in the evening hours. I was able to accomplish all of these tasks with a clear head and better time management, without checking my messages and procrastinating. It was going really well!\r\n\r\nThen came a\u00a0text message from someone who was unable to get a hold of me immediately using an internet-based\u00a0messaging app. This\u00a0made me realize\u00a0how quick my response speed would normally be in regular circumstances.\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_26148\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26148\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/giphy.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-26148\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/giphy-300x151.gif\" alt=\"courtesy of giphy.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"151\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26148\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">courtesy of giphy.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\nNote: My pledge was exclusively\u00a0for my smartphone, so my laptop was\u00a0still\u00a0within\u00a0limits. Problem solved. In between classes, I tried to check my laptop for weather, social media, and news updates. This helped me realize that many of the functions my phone was serving\u00a0were\u00a0actually redundant, since my computer\u00a0was able to\u00a0do them too.\r\n\r\nMy unplugged-ness was most notable during meal times, when I could focus on my plate in front of me and enjoy the experience of eating a meal with real friends, and not virtual ones. This benefit was one that I was\u00a0excited for when I first took on the task.\r\n\r\nTwo days after my pledge expired, I\u2019m still mostly unplugged.\r\n\r\nThis is because there are other benefits I didn\u2019t consider previously. My phone\u2019s battery life\u00a0now feels\u00a0immortal (at the time of writing, it hasn\u2019t been charged in 48 hours and is still going strong). I\u2019m so much less frustrated with my device\u00a0when it is not able to pick up a WiFi signal. I\u2019m noticing that many of the apps I am using are not bringing me the same joys or feelings of accomplishment as with writing\u00a0things out\u00a0by hand. Walking around campus with my head high and without my headphones on is more engaging, and almost certainly safer.\r\n\r\nNext step: Now that I\u2019ve been unplugged for a few days, I will reactivate the WiFi settings on my phone and reintroduce myself to smartphone living. That said I won\u2019t lose sight of why this experience was a positive one.\r\n\r\nMy\u00a0pledge for\u00a0November: I will avoid screen time in the evening up to one hour before I go to bed (from any device) to help me sleep better. I will also be extending the distance between myself and my phone by leaving it in my bag or in the locker when I am eating, at lecture, and at the gym.\r\n\r\nThis is me triumphantly taking control of my smartphone. I encourage you to try the same!\r\n\r\nHave a safe, sweet, Happy Halloween!\r\n\r\nMadelin\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat pledge will you make for yourself to take control of your device? #UnplugUofT","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hi there!\r\n\r\nWhere is your phone right now? If you are like me, the answer is almost certainly face-up on the desk beside you, or in your pocket on vibrate. I keep my phone within arms length at all times.\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_26144\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26144\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-26144\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"my phone is always near me\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/10\/2015-10-29-21.00.51-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26144\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">my phone is my staple study-buddy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2015\/10\/30\/unpluguoft\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;#UnplugUofT&rdquo;<\/span>&hellip;<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"author":269,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1758,7204,59,62,1,67,68],"tags":[6,15673,15675,262,15674,15672],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26140"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/269"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26140"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26173,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26140\/revisions\/26173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}