No, I can't put my phone away

On Monday, my very docile professor yelled at my class. He yelled so much I almost cried. He yelled until 2.11. My class ended at 2.15. My heart pounded until 2.35

He was so upset because almost everyone in the 20-person class had their phones out. He said that students had changed too much; we were pitiful if we couldn't handle 75 minutes without our phones.

OK. So maybe I'm pitiful.

If I am MIA for 75 minutes, my friends will worry. Often if I don't respond to a text within five minutes, my friends send the text again (or maybe even: "Where are you???"). If I'm MIA for 75 minutes, my emails will become daunting. I'd be seriously overwhelmed once I final reentered civilization.

And I'm not alone. Today, I had a 25 minute break between classes so I went to the Union to outline a paper. Sitting next to me, I overheard two girls talking.

Busy: Oh, I'm so tired. I want to nap.
Busier: Me too, but I don't have time at all.
Busy: I know, this week is crazy.
Busier: Last night, I was talking to my dad at 9 PM as I was scarfing down a sandwich for dinner and he was like, this is a busy week, huh? And I was like, this is my life, Dad.

And while I found Busier to be a little bit annoying and even a little bit more melodramatic, I know what she means.

It's that feeling of- maybe next week I'll be able to eat all three meals one day. Maybe next semester I'll see my friends outside of meetings. Maybe next year I'll have time to shower. (just kidding...kind of.)

We're all so over programmed. We have to join this and run for that because we want that one job. And we'll have to come in earlier and stay later because we'll want the promotion. And...

When does it stop? When do we breathe?

I don't know.

But, I take comfort in knowing I'm not alone.

Courtney, for example, hasn't blogged in over a week (not to call her out, but it makes me feel less guilty).

I can't help but think that maybe it just feels better to be busy, to have a purpose. It's the way of Generation Y.

Want to join this club? Y Not?
Want to start this organization? Y Not?
Want to be the next American President? Y Not?

Why not do everything we're capable of doing (or even not so capable of doing)? Why not just do it all?

So, maybe, just maybe, we are pitiful since we can't put away our planners because we might think of something else to add to our to do list. Maybe we have to eat dinner while walking to a meeting and talking on the phone. Maybe we have to blog in class if we ever want to get it done...

It's possible that what makes us pitiful makes us stronger. Well, as long as it doesn't kill us.