A week without a cell phone on college campus is awful.

This is Caroline, Curtis’ marketing manager, and when I was a freshman in college, I turned my cell phone off for a whole week as a social experiment. I didn’t even own a smartphone at that time, but losing the ability to connect with others via texting and calling made my week a challenge.

I was alone. I couldn’t call friends to meet up for meals, I wasn’t in on group plans that were all communicated via text, and I couldn’t even call my Mom to tell her how alone I felt.

But I probably met more new people that week than I did for the rest of college. I really listened and engaged in conversations. I noticed the food I was eating and the beautiful design of the buildings I walked past. I was at peace — no one could reach me, and I didn’t have to keep checking my phone for notifications.

My week without a cell phone was probably was one of the hardest weeks in college. But it was also one of the best.

There are a million detox diets out there that help “reset” our bodies from the chemicals in our food. But how often do we detox from technology? Yes, technology has made us more efficient, but it also adds to the overbearing stress and disconnectivity of our society. According to NY Daily News, it can even be argued that Technology is Killing Us.

Maybe your job or your schedule makes it impossible to turn your phone off for a week, but I have no doubt that there are hours in your day that you spend on a screen that you don’t need to. Go on a screen diet for a week, and you just may see the world in a whole new light.

At the end of your life, you’re going to remember the conversations you had, not the texts you sent. Turn your phone off and turn your life on.

*Image courtesy Ashok Govind