For forty-eight hours, I have found that being technology-free gets easier over time, I know what it’s like to go tech-free because I have done so many occasions in the past; however, I think now that I’m more involved with my college classes being online almost comes second nature. In the past I have been able to go a full two weeks without the use of any social media or any technology, mostly because during the time I was going through a Boy Scout Leadership Training Course, both as a participant and a staff member who lead the activities; but as school started to take more of priority over my life, and Boy Scouts fell on the back burner, for many reasons besides school, technology became a “safe place” for me.

The beginning of my forty-eight hour tech-free process was difficult, my routine of getting up in the morning to watch the morning news to going into my bedroom and on my computer to check emails and class updates, to going onto my social media sites and checking up on long-distance relatives and friends, to watching my online programs and play game; I had my routine and it was difficult to break, but eventually after I reminded myself that I had to stop and find something else to do, it became easier.

I started to find housework to do that I could keep my mind off of my routine, and for a while, it worked. I started my need tech-free routine with laundry, which was hard to not sit down in front of the television and wait for the buzzer to go off, but when I started to sit down on the couch, I’d get up and walk into the kitchen instead. In the kitchen, I would start doing the dishes that my family left behind; as usual, I start complaining in my solitude about how nearly every member of my family expects me to do the dishes, just because they know that I will get them done. This kept my mind off of the TV for a while, but when that activity was done and the laundry was still running, I was back in that spot; so I decided to fold the clean laundry while the next load was running and that continued for most of the day.

The rest of the day, I found myself wanting to go online and take care of my emails and social media updates, but I decided that the best way to avoid it was to take a nap. This was also difficult to do because I usually have some sort of music playing in the background, almost like someone would find in a yoga studio during meditation, but I was able not to have any music on, but my puppy’s whining did make it hard to rest.

In the evening, I finished all my morning work, which I wasn’t able to complete before my nap; I went into my bedroom and went to bed, not to sleep, but just to avoid watching TV with my family. That part was hard because that was usually the only time my whole family, except my brother who is almost always on his computer gaming, get together and actually act civilized for a few hours. Thankfully they understood that I had to go through that heartache in order to understand the assignment, but it didn’t make it less difficult to do.

The next morning was a little easier, I had an appointment with my orthodontist to discuss a new night retainer more me, and the drive was easy; the radio was off and I was listening to the car, and the verbal assault that I gave to the people around me who, I thought, couldn’t drive a merry-go-round to save their lives. The orthodontist’s office is always quiet; they don’t have any stereo system in the building, because there are a lot of law firms and insurance offices in it. After my appointment and the radio free drive home, I started my next round of household work to keep technology at bay.

This was right after lunchtime, and it would take the rest of the day to do; cleaning the bathroom I share with my younger sister and believe me, that mess kept me plenty busy. I spent most of the afternoon sweeping, scrubbing, bleaching, and mopping the ammonium floor, bathtub and shower, the sink, and the toilet. Once again, with no music playing in the background; it was boring and long.

So my forty-eight hours, were filled with distractions and work; being away from my computer and music was hard but it was nice to know that I was able to take care of more important things around the house, though I would have wished that my brother, the gamer, would have gone through this with me; I liked to have seen how he’d react.