It was a different weekend, I felt something weird but at the end I understood I could survive without my cell. In this blog I want to share my memories with my students and to see if they felt the same way I did. The idea of the project came to my mind because a TED video I shared with my students last week. It was a speech titled "Could you live without a smartphone?" where Anastasia Dedyukhina, a business mentor, talks why people feel uncontrollable urge to check their smartphones all the time, something that happens to me as a head and coordinator in my school and of course to my students; that is the reason why I decided to do this project, to see how it is to live without a cell phone the whole weekend.
I was surprised since the first day I began recruiting my students' cells; some of them did not want to be part of the project, others refused because they lived alone or because they were having a party, others were crying because a part of them was being taken; the truth is that as Friday arrived (the day I took their cells) they were feeling more nervous and uncomfortable about passing a weekend without their most valuable thing: their cells.
My wife knew about this idea and she loved it, some parents also wrote and supported the project and told me if I could do the same with all parents (the idea of living without stress for a weekend could be memorable); my wife told me "finally you are going to have a relax weekend" and she was right but between the frustration and the relief of not having your personal device, I felt something was happening with me.
I opened my laptop Friday night to check my mail, it was not the same like checking your cell, not the same like checking your personal whatsapp status or seeing your family, friends, and students crazy things they post every minute, every time. I felt a part of me was not with me.
I have always believed that family must be the first and that's what I always do when I arrive home; passing time with my kids and my wife is the best part of the day but being honest even when I am with them I feel I cannot stop checking my cell. Sometimes because of work messages or just by posting stories or my sons pics, videos or just simple status but this weekend was different, this weekend was great, I could rest and had no worries at all.
Today (Monday September 4) I felt I did something good for my students, perhaps they did things they did not do before or they felt the same way I did, I don't know; I will figure it out just after sharing this post with them; the grade is not important this time but the lesson they learnt will live on their minds and on their hearts forever.
The first day that you took our phones itt was really not a problem, but the next day it was a huge problem I got all my stuff there, all my works, homeworks, etc. also I know the homeworks that we got for the weekend in a WhatsApp group that I am part of. Th last day without a phone was worst, I study on Sunday and I get easily bored, so I normally watch movies there but there I couldn't because I didn't have a phone. So happy it was just for 3 days, a great experience I don't want to be part of again ��
ReplyDeleteIt was a nightmare. he first day without my phone I was constantly cheking my phone in order to feel it but then I realized that I gave it to you. The same day when I get home no one was there and I had no way to communicate with my family and also I had no keys so I jumped over the backyard and got in. On saturday after my classes, once again I couldn't communicate with my parents so I had to wait 20 mins sitting on the street. Finally, on sunday I spent my whole day sleeping because of my boredom. :)
ReplyDeleteThis project for me was incredible. In my personal case, I traveled to another place that weekend and I really enjoy my trip without my cellphone. I didn`t have to worry about anything. I just pass time with my family and lived all the minutes of the day as a real person, not as a virtual one. This project for me was a rest and something incredible I will repeat.
ReplyDeleteIn my point of view as a student, these feelings I had rarely can be repeated. The homeworks some teachers sent us during the weekend makes us feel dependent of something that can appear any hour and we need to finish it for Monday. That is also an indirect way they make us be checking our devices the whole weekend.
I hope this experience appears again in my life.
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ReplyDeleteIt was bored, it wasnt horrible but it was very bored, because I do all my stuff by de cellphone, when I have to print something, thats the only reasson that I use computer, and I doesnt see tv since this year because its bored to me to see the same chapters, so I depend a little bit of my cellphone, not only for these things, its because if I have to go out, I need to communicate, or if I need something to ask someone, I need the cellphone. My weekend was the same as every weekend the only thing that changed was that I was very bored.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't a terrible experience to be honest. I just had to do more effort to achieve things. Usually whenever I want to look up for something I go to my phone to search for it. This weekend I had to use my laptop. It was a little annoying since it is quite heavy and it's better to browse the Internet lying in bed instead of sitting down. I was quite bored, but I was quite productive as a result. I finished some projects I had due this week, and also went to church for the first time in ages. I also slept earlier than usual. My mom was often asking me for my cellphone, and I had to remind her that you had taken it away; it was really funny. I don't think it was an unpleasant experience, and I wouldn't have any problem in repeating it. -Tifanny
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't as bad as I expected, well, maybe because I already lived without a cellphone until 13. First day, I was anxious because I couldn't check whatsapp, I spent most of that day sleeping because of the boredom. The next day, I started watching Netflix series again which I don't usually do. The last day, I was only laying on my bed staring at the wall, I was bored, I don't know how but I remembered that I had to do a mathematics homework for the next day, and I did it without using my cellphone, it wasn't as easy as always but it was a constructive experience because I learnt how to solve the exercises myself.
ReplyDeleteStill, I don't think I would ever repeat an experience like this again,
So... I think that wasn't a bad experience as I expected. The first day was weird because I normally have my cell on the pocket, but this time I don't feel anything. Anyways, the same day I went out and I was so freak out, because when I get to the place of meet, the person that supposed to be there, he wasn't, I really thought that he wouldn't come, but at the end he appears, so don't mind. In other hand, I have a business, so, the girl who help me, text me and obviously I can't respond and she like freaks out and wrote to my mom, that was kind of funny. I have everything on my phone, LIT everything. I really don't wanna experience this again, this wasn't bad but Im good with my phone.
ReplyDeleteohh, the only thing that I like of the project was that my mom let me go out till late jeje.
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ReplyDeleteIt was awful, but I really liked it, because it is said that we depend of our cellphones. But with this project, we show methods that can prove that the cell phones are not necessary. And like my parents told me, If I survived without cell phone when I was a kid, why you cant? So that really motivate me, but it still wear. At the first day, I didnt know what to do, and I felt closed. But later I finally controlled myself.
ReplyDeleteIt was a little difficult because I go out, and I need my cell phone for communicating with everyone. And my parents were a little angry, because they always call me when I hang out with my friends or my girlfriend. I had too many troubles without my cellphone, but I found the solution. Finally, I can said that the project was really a hard challenge.
Well, it was a bizarre and a strange sensasion because i do not have my cellphone with me and ii always have my cellphone with me, i was like i was without one of my parts of my body, i liked that experience, but it gave me some bad feelings about the whereabouts of my cellphone, I'm making another things and meditating without my cellphone, them in my house i just realized that i have my life in a cellphone and that im wasting my life in vanal things like games or music, i were thinking about the fact that at some point the people could live without the cellphones and, them in our era the people became so dependent of one, this experience was strange but it helps a lot.
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ReplyDeleteWell, The first day i felt weird because i touched my pocket and i don't felt my phone, that day i was with my cousin and my friend, then i forgot that i don't have my phone and the rest of the weekend i was calm and relax it was a good experience. my family wasvery happy when they saw me without my phone, my mother
ReplyDeletewant to keep my phone every weekend because she said that without my phone i am a person with more time. On saturday i went to a party and my dad told me how i'm going to communicate with them, that night i used the phones of my friends, and i don't had any preoccupation, On sunday i woke up late and i didn't do anything that day and as dont have phone i passed that day with my family, and slept earlier
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ReplyDeleteI could start saying that I liked the idea of the project without our cellphones, but I didn't. It was the most boring weekend that I have had, I wasn't able to communicate or watch my favourite series. I was freaking out every single moment that I realised I didn't have my cellphone in my pocket. First I thought it was going to be easy, I was like "oh, it is just one weekend" but then, I recognised I do everything with my phone and in the moment I didn't have it, I felt awful. I can surely confirm that I am a nomophobe and it doesn't feel right. The good thing about it was that I was able to spend more time with my parents, talking to my sister and playing with my dog, and that was something my parents were grateful for. Anyways, I think it is a great idea for ourselves to leave our cellphones so we can connect with the world outside because since we have them, we have become dependent on them.
ReplyDeleteit was awful being without my cellphone for an entire weekend. The first day it was the worst, i was anxious and i felt so weird because since i had my first phone i have used it everyday of my life. as soon as i got home i did not know what to do because normally i would use my phone all day long.
ReplyDeletein saturday we went to the mall with my mom and i got distracted for a moment and my mom was not there anymore, i started freaking out because i did not have my phone to contact her and ask her where she was.on sunday i kind of accepted that i did not have my phone, so i just watched movies and went out with my parents, they were actually so happy that i did not have my phone because i spent more time with them .
It was weird, because communicating was really easy with my phone (just when I'm home because I have never had internet in my phone and the money always was gone fast}, but without it made me try to use my house telephone, but I think I broke it because I never knew how to use, and just unplugged it because it wouldn't even turn off. My mom had to accept that she wouldn't hear from me for three days since I don't live with her, but still she communicated with my aunt who lives with me to know how am I, anyway it wasn't really that big difference for me because i played games in my Nintendo to comfort my needs to play in my phone. The only thing that was a little complicate to feel was to not take care of my phone as I used to when I had it, so it wasn't a big problem to take.
ReplyDeleteI found a nice experience, rare and very funny at the same time, because I am used to see the time all the time on my phone or see if I have any notice, but the first day if it was weird, and I was frightening. We went to eat with my friends and we wanted to take potos but then we remembered that we had no cellphone, and scared me because I thought that is I had forgotten somewhere, or that I had stolen. Then we went to a mall and stay watching something with my friend, we separated from her mother and our other friend, did not know how to find them, Neither of the two had cell to call them, until we seek them as eight minutes and find them. I forgot the rest of days also that I had no cell but was already half used. This could give me that the phone is quite essential in our life, but we are accustomed to always use them and that is more a Vice, but I realized that not I am not nomophobic and I could live without my cell phone, but obviously I would miss using it.
ReplyDeleteThe first day was not that bad, I usually do not use my phone a lot but still I had the constant feeling that I was missing something. On Saturday I felt slightly isolated but calm at the same time, I could not text my friends and i was feeling really annoyed because I could not text, call or at least check the time. On Sunday It was even worse, I had eight hours of class at a academy, without my phone those were the longest eight hours in my life.
ReplyDeleteI realised that our smartphones are a important device for us and we over use it, we are always checking it even if we do not have any notifications. Everyone should take a time off once in a while from their phones.
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ReplyDeleteIt was a great idea to stop using the phone even it was only for weekend, the first day was really weird because I pass the time like Watching my hands because i thought that i had my phone on my hands. It became worst because the next day on saturday I had a friedns party and i really did not know how to call a cab to take me home or a what time do i have to go to my friends house,so i found it kind of difficult. Specially if my mom wants to know something about me I cannot write because of the project. I can said that we really depends on our cellphone even if we do not notice that, we depends on it so for me it was a challenge and I can tell that the teacher really had a wonderful to make us do this
ReplyDeletethis weekend weekend I did not like it, it felt super weird not to have had my cell phone and only pass watching netflix and it did not come out better do not come back to do this project ever again
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ReplyDeleteThis experience was a mix feelings, because the firstd ay I felt weird because I didn'tknew how to distract myself athome so I started to watch Netlifx and fall asleep all the afternoon. The nextday I didnphone because it wasmymom's bday so I passed all the day wiht herand got myself myself distracted with her. On Sunday I usedmy computer, watched Netflix,played somevideogames and fallasleep. I t was like a time of relaxing.
ReplyDeleteit was a good experience cause i focus in things that i had to stop doing , i helped my brothers with homework. on the other hand i didnt like it cause i missed my phone .
ReplyDeleteI felt sad because I don't felt my phone, that day T was with my family, then I forgot that I don't have my phone and the rest of the weekend I relax because I play with them. It was a good experience. My mother was very happy becuase I spent more time with her.
ReplyDeleteI didin't like the project that much , but to be honest I didn't feel weird or something , just spend my weekend like a normal day and do the same stuff I'll problably do with my phone , what was a pretty good experience because it was kind of funny when my parents tried to get in contact with me
ReplyDeletethe truth was good all weekend because I went to a party and I did not have to worry about the messages of my parents and on Saturday I spent sleeping all day and at night I went out to eat with my family, on Sunday I went out to buy with my family all day so I liked being without cell phone.
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ReplyDeletethe weekend was perfect. i felt in peace when i realized there was no one to bother my existence. so i think you should do it again
ReplyDeletethis weekend was a bit strange since I had to go without phones since the cell phones are necessary for communication but not something so important as to die.
ReplyDeleteFor me this experience was something normal, without my cellphone I felt weird because i check my pocket and i dont feel my cellphone but thanks of that i can make my second argument and i spend the all days watching netflix.
ReplyDeleteit was an interesting idea to have more contact and communicate with the nearby people but in my opinion i didn't like it because i need my cellphone to be in contact with my girlfriend and friends who lives in Quito. Nevertheless it was a good experience for me because i was in contact with my family and we travelled to the beach so we got a really good times.
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ReplyDeletethis weekend I left my cell phone was pleasantly sastifactory since I could do things I did not do long ago like playing with my brother or taking my pet Chester to walk around which was fun and tired since Chester loves to run and I I took him to run with me to the grass field of my citadel and it was also fun to find ways to communicate with my girlfriend to go out with her but as they say out there with love everything can be
In my opinion is a really good idea but at first , the first hours was really frustrating because I didn't have my phone but then I get a little used to it , phone is a tool , and this project help us to don't depend on the phone and to spend more time with our family, good website Mr.Harlod
ReplyDeleteLast weekend for me were something different because I spend all days watching netflix because my perents don't let me hang out with my friend because I don't have my cellphone and thanks of that I can do my second argument.
ReplyDeletethis weekend that happens without my cell phone I realized that sometimes I do not need it but I also need it on other occasions to communicate when I was alone on the street in that if I realized that it was necessary to have the cell phone and from there I felt good because I did things that I did when I was little like going to play soccer, walking on bikes and more.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a good idea to remove the phone over the weekend to see if we could resist without our phones. I the first day I removed it I had not noticed that the mr had removed the second day normal pass take care of my little sister and went out to play futblo with my friends and then I went to a party the third day I fell asleep until late and just spend eating and watching TV in if I do not mind not having a phone since I was used to not having a cell phone because last year I had just been given my first cell phone. That is why I thought this project was very good since most of the people are vicious on their phone.
ReplyDeletemy weekend feel normal but i miss my phone a little bit because i spend with it the most of my time , but i feel more relaxed without my phone and focus on other things
ReplyDeleteTE AMO
DeleteTO BE HONEST IT WAS GOOD TO DONT HAVE A CELLPHONE BECAUSE I REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO SPENDING SOME REAL TIME WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE AND CARE ABOUT ALSO YOU REALIZE WHO CARES FOR YOU BECAUSE THEY LOOKING A FORM TO COMUNICATE WITH YOU , IT WAS KIND OF WORRIED TO SAW HOW PEOPLE REALLY DOESNT PAY ATTETION TO EACH OTHER AND PREFER TO USE THEIR CELLPHONE ALL THE TIME BUT I GUESS THAT IS NORMAL NOW A DAYS . /PC
ReplyDeleteIt was the most boring weekend that I ever had. The idea was great but I don't like it. But I can said that I had more time to spend with my family and friends. Although the project was not to my liking it gave us to understand that we can not live without our cell phones.
ReplyDeleteit was a great idea because the students have more time to pass time with family and friends and have more time to study and time to practice sports and i very happy because mr harold is a good person and teacher and have the great idea to send this proyect for all my classmates and all have the experience to do the project thanks mr i love you. john mcdermott
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ReplyDeletefor me it was very easy this project because of the fact that I had broken and I get used to stop using it for a while, it is not so difficult, although it is true that it is very necessary for jobs and to report in case of an emergency
ReplyDeleteon my point of view this weekend i got to realize that i dont need a phone or any type of technology to have a great time but i have to admit that my phone is the best way to communicate .
ReplyDeletei think this project is a good idea because students can see how old people do when cellphones doesnt exist, the first days looks boring but when you found something interesting to do you forgat cellphone, maybe pass more time with the family so i think its a good proyect.the real fausto barba
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion this project was great, Actually I don't use my cellphone too much, just for communication but it's just like a hobby. On friday I did all my normal activities, on saturday I wrote part of my monography and spent time with my family as every weekend, normally in the afternoon I go out with some friends and then with my family, but that weekend I just spent and went out with my family, and on sunday I was relax and in the afternoon I went to the church.
ReplyDeleteOne of my first impression that this social experiment shows me is the possibility of life without my phone. Sincerely, when my teacher Harold Sojos tell us about the project of leaving my phone all the weekend in the office my mind start thinking in one "important" activity that I should have to do in my weekend. And was see my series on Netflix. With the past of the days, I realize that the time that I spend seeing my series I can make it more productive. With this social experiment, I learned to appreciate the time and people that are always by your side and that is always receiving the 10% of your time and makes me remind an awesome phrase that is " The cell phone close people that are far away, but away people that are close". So I just can say thank you Mr. Harold Sojos.
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ReplyDeleteThis experiment was very interesting and fun, a good idea for people to leave aside the virtual and focus on the reality that they are missing out, in my case without the cell phone take my sisters to play the park and swimming pool thing which he had not done for some time.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good experience thanks mister for showing us what we can do without cell phones, being more able to see the reality in which we live and collaborate with our family in the household chores, having more free time to learn new things, to spend time with my sisters and do family activities.
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ReplyDeleteIt wasn't a bad experience, I liked, because I realized that I spend a lot of time on my cell phone and that is not ok, so on weekend I spent time with my family.
ReplyDeleteI liked the idea of the project, actually the class changed after giving the cellphones, we all started to talk between each others, it was really different from other days,
ReplyDeleteOn the first day without my cellphone i didnt mind at all, but the second day i started feeling like something was missing, and also i couldnt communicate with people so... I couldnt knew about homeworks for monday or if i wanted to go out, i was alone in an island, and the third day was already normal because i felt that one day or two days, whatever whats the difference? So i only thought about the other day in which i was going to have my cellphone back, but the project was good, i think that made me act like a human again without concentrating so much on technology
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ReplyDeleteWell to be honest when i first heard what the final project was going to be about i freaked out i thought i would never be able to spend 3 days without that piece of technology that has become literally a part of my body but turns out nothing happened and i found myself spending time with my family and doing different activities like going outside and playing with my dog etc so i think this activity was very refreshing cause it kinds of give you a new perspective that life isnt about just being the whole time in front of a screen without participating in the real world so i felt liberated knowing that al least i was staying away from this kind of addiction for a while
ReplyDeleteThis protect was really great because it showed me that I can really life without a cellphone, of course it helps in some situations for example to calling someone who lives far away or communicate with our loved ones but it is not completely necessary in our lifes, I could do it again and I don't think it will bother me that much, it is great to spend more time with our families and the ones who are close to us.
ReplyDeleteI at first despaired because I did not know how to go to my house and my mom did not answer his cell phone, then I went to my house in a taxi and there was no one, it turns out that a relative of mine had died and I did not even know because I did not have a cell phone ,after my family arrived the house and we went travel, saturday pass with my family and sunday pass with my grandmother because it was birthday,
ReplyDeletein the last day i felt relax
This weekend i left my phone,at first i did not want by my parents because they would not be able to communicate with me because i live alone,but then i thought and said i do not think anything bas is going to happen.then i left my phone and left de -stressed,there were no calls or messages or problems everyrhing was perfect,i can have more time for myself,my animals ando do things that i liked.it was a good experience.
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