We spent the night at The Wilds in a yurt — which in this case was basically a hotel room encased in a circular canvas outer wall. The yurt was the best of camping and hotel accommodations. It had a skylight where we could watch a thunderstorm move through and it also had all the amenities of a hotel (air conditioning, mini-fridge, private shower, electricity) — except for one. Due to its remote location, the yurt did not have internet.
In my mind, I often equate the internet with social media — and knew I could happily live without access to that for days. But I was quickly reminded that the internet is much more than that. We couldn’t check the weather forecast. We were unable to download directions back to the interstate or determine how long it would take to get to the airport. We couldn’t check options for a fall trip to visit our nephew in college. I was unable to check in for my flight or get a boarding pass. There was no Air-Dropping of photos from the trip.
Back at home, I’m writing an article about school counselors and have heard about how cell phones have changed the dynamics of their jobs. I wonder if the phones are the issue, or whether it is the social media apps that are on them. The phone itself is an amazing tool — it’s the unrealistic expectations and false content created by certain apps that can cause anxiety.
These two situations have caused me to pause and become more intentional about the language I use (cell phone vs internet vs social media vs TikTok, etc.) and to remember that the phone and internet are just tools. Like with everything else, it’s how we use them that determines whether they are a benefit or detriment. You don’t need to stay in an internet-less yurt to reflect on how you use your device.
