When Professor Downey briefly mentioned this weekend assignment at the beginning of the semester, I was so pumped for it. Some of my favorite memories have been camping trips in high school where we could not bring electronics, or at least if you did there was no place to charge them and a high chance that there was not cellphone reception.
Much to my chagrin, I could not go the weekend without my laptop and cell phone because most of my courses involve the use of a computer, or are almost entirely taught on the computer. However, I did limit how I used these devices, homework, looking up specific recipes that I have bookmarked then printed, and communicating with my parents (I went home this weekend to vote and to have a quiet place to catch up on my studies). I broke the ban of socializing online a couple times. Once when I was bored waiting for my Beef Bourguignon to finish. As I was opening up Facebook on my phone and saw the first post on my news feed, I realized how little I actually cared whatever the post said and quickly exited the app. I recognized that I preferred directly communicating with a person to know what is going on in someone's life. The past few years, I have started to use social networking sites not as a place to socialize, but more as a place to network for jobs, as it is the emerging norm, or to promote an event of an organization I am a member of. The other time I broke the ban was when I video chatted with a friend from Europe. This is a standing weekly chat as our way to keep in contact with each other. This is one aspect of living in the Network Society that I am a huge fan of, and would hate giving up. Video chatting online allows me to keep in contact with close friends and family all around the world.
Even though I failed at completely unplugging and disconnecting from the technologies of the Network Society, I do value the times when I can unplug, when I can be fully engross my being into my present surroundings.
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