As I sit here trying to study for my upcoming psych of learning test, I am helping to make a difference. My roommate posted a link on Facebook to the UNICEF Tap Project and curious, I clicked on it. The whole idea is that for every minute you don’t touch your phone, the UNICEF sponsor, Giorgio Armani, will donate the equivalent of one day of water for a child in need. Since I should be studying and not touching my phone anyways, I thought why not try it out.

As you proceed through the minute, UNICEF provides facts and statistics about how clean water makes a difference in countries in need. One of the statistics shown is the record of the day of how long someone was able to go without their phone. Today that record was 44 minutes. At first, I was impressed… until I realized that isn’t even the length of a single class on Monday/Wednesday/Friday at JMU. Usually I can’t go an entire class without checking my phone or even touching it. And if it’s a 75 minute class on Tuesday/Thursday? Forget it, I’m checking my phone at least 3 times during that period. How pathetic is that? I am so incredibly attached to my phone that I can’t even go an hour without looking at it.

In the public relations world, technology is incredibly important. Whether that is being up-to-date on the latest technology or being connected to the public through various social media platforms, PR is all about it. But at what point does it become too much? When should we learn to step away from our phones, tablets and computers?

My roommates and I are going to the Dominican Republic for spring break this year and personally, I cannot wait to have an entire week away from my cell phone to be present with my favorite people on a beautiful beach.