It was the Christmas of eighth grade when I get my first phone: a blue slider. I couldn’t believe it. My parents had said I couldn’t get one until high school.
Many of my friends got phones in seventh grade, some in sixth. My cool older cousin had this baby blue flip that I thought was just the edgiest thing. To be able to text your friends anything at any time? Wow. How grown up!
Once, I mentioned to my sister and future brother-in-law how I couldn’t wait to get a phone. My future brother-in-law said, “You should wait as long as you can. Having a phone makes you reachable 24/7. It’s exhausting.”
I got my first iPhone two years after the slider. I downloaded Facebook and logged in. I made an Instagram account. I played Candy Crush. I, like anyone, oohed and ahhed at this bright, colorful, user-friendly computer in my pocket.