Turn off my cellphone?! But...

...how will I check the nearly endless amount of notifications ranging from pointless texts from friends to an update on how my high score is doing in Family Feud & Friends, a smartphone app that I'm addicted to?

I'll be the first to admit it. I'm addicted to my smartphone, but to be honest -- should I be blamed? I first got a cell phone when I was in middle school, and at first I didn't really care much for it. To me, it was only another way for my parents to keep tabs on me, but when I reached high school my family upgraded to iPhones... this was only the beginning.

If only life were like this.

Suddenly my phone was much more than just a clunky brick that could call mom and dad. It could surf the web, send e-mails, stream video, and play thousands of games! My parents also decided to purchase unlimited texting, which they said would allow the family to communicate better. Little did they know, that I would add every friend I knew who had texting, and spend hours sending my friends pointless texts every day. It's basically changed the way I go about socializing, and even to this day, has a huge impact on my day-to-day tasks.

So, when I heard that professor wanted me to put the phone down I kind of freaked. It made me remember the one day that the power went out at my house, and, without any way to charge my phone, my iPhone died. It was like I was suddenly blind -- how would anyone be able to get a hold of me? What if my friends wanted to hang out, and they thought I was ignoring their texts? How in the world was I to watch funny YouTube videos where someone auto-tuned "Charlie Bit Me?" Despite being wary of putting my phone down, I obliged -- in the name of Science.

Usually when I go to eat at the Cub Café on campus I go to a specific cashier to check out. It sounds lame, but it's like having the same waitress you're used to wait on you at a restaurant. You come to know them, or at least get to read their name tag. You have a name to a face, and suddenly it's like they're a friend of yours. So anyway, I digress. I decided to shut off my iPhone today and actually learn something about this cashier.

As usual, I got a breakfast sandwich from the Burger Studio, and walked over to the register. I smiled and she smiled back as I set down my tray to pull out my wallet.

"Hello, how are you?" I asked.

I think she was a little surprised that I asked her a question this time, and took a moment to think of something to say in response,

"Good, the break's almost here! So I can't complain," she replied -- taking my student ID card to swipe.

"I know, I got one last test to take before I can enjoy the vacation though," I said jokingly rolling my eyes.

She laughed and swiped my card through the register and asked,

"Meal and flex?"

"Bear bucks, please."

She pressed a button, and smiled before handing back my card,

"Good luck on that test!"

I grinned and stuffed the card back into my wallet,

"Thanks, take care!"

That was it. However it was a start to kicking my addiction, and who knows? Perhaps I'll start shutting off the phone more often!