Connected: Part 5 of 6 

I assumed that the longer I used a flip phone, the less of a pain it would be to text on it. As with anything new, obviously there’s a learning curve, and I thought I needed to give myself time to get used to it.

But it doesn’t seem to be working like that in this case. I find myself getting more impatient with the interface, and when I get a notification that several texts are coming in, my heart actually sinks at the thought of having to clumsily return them. At this age and stage in my life, convenience is key, and if there’s a way of lowering stress in a certain area, sign me up; I’m all about cutting corners. So intuitively it just feels wrong to actively be making my life so much more klutzy.

Now, I know that the annoyance and inconvenience of the flip phone isn’t just a mistake — it’s a big part of what makes it less addictive. That said, I’d love to have texting be just a little smoother… I mean, theoretically speaking, I would get more exercise without a car, and it would be better for my health if I walked everywhere, but I’m not giving up that convenience. Would a phone with quick, easy texting be so different?

I did discover I can send voice notes, at least when my phone is in the mood and doesn’t freeze that feature, which helps a lot, though I can’t receive them. Fine by me — I never liked listening. Now I can send voice notes out and the other person has to actually type everything out in response. (Or call me, but let’s face it, no one wants to actually talk these days.)