30 x 30: #12 – Spend a day with no technology

This might be my favorite 30 x 30 list item so far. It is the twelfth item I have completed and is one of THREE I did this past weekend while visiting Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor in Maine.

I added this to my list for the same reason I deleted Facebook from my phone. Some days you just spend too much time staring at a screen (eight plus hours a day five days a week) and that doesn’t even include your phone time!

When I first added this to the list, I should’ve clarified the primary intention was no internet or social media, but I did my best to stick to no technology in general. It became difficult as I realized how beautiful Acadia was and I stole a phone a few times to snap a photo (like the above and below), but I didn’t once check in on social media or email. I was, however, VERY glad I saved my sunrise and sunset experience for the next day so that I could document it with my camera and not feel guilty!

What I took away from my day was how ridiculous we have become about technology. Everyone was so tied to an electrical chord and this was really brought home, as usual, while the three of us ate lunch AND dinner, I found so many groups of people staring at their phone and ignoring their friends. I also found that not having my phone on me was incredibly freeing. It was hilarious every time someone asked me to look something up, and I was like “uh…no phone and no internet.”

In addition I found myself enjoying older technology as if it was the coolest thing on the planet like binoculars and the cool push stamp you could change the date on in the gift shops and on the tours.

The other thing which not having access to technology, the internet or social media allowed was for me to randomly accomplish a third unexpected list item: reading or lying in a park with no other plans for the day.

I’m so glad I went up to Acadia and you will be sick of hearing it in the next few days!