Technology is advancing constantly. It seems as though every time I buy a new computer or phone, a more advanced one has already appeared to take its place.

Although it is always exciting to grab the latest edition of the hottest technological device, I am starting to realize that I have become annoyingly dependent on the abilities of my electronic devices.

For Christmas, I got my first smartphone and I love it. It is, however,  in some ways assisting in ruining my life. Let’s start with the Facebook app I installed on it. It is convenient and I can easily upload any picture or status in an instant.

It is also unequivocally distracting. Some days I find myself scrolling through my news feed while walking back from class, going to my room and immediately checking Facebook on my computer.

The most disturbing part is that I have turned into one of those “I would die without my phone” people.

My phone dies sometimes, mainly because I do not charge it enough. When it does, I suddenly feel ill-equipped to handle the world. I feel lost without my plethora of apps to direct me to gas stations and my favorite restaurants, while giving me directions when I get lost driving.

Regrettably, I have fallen into the technology trap. My phone has become an extension of my right hand and when I cannot use it, I turn into someone with no outside knowledge of the world and no clue how to handle the obstacles that come my way.

This new wave of technology is dumbing the world down. I have fallen victim, just as the other “73.3 million U.S. smartphone users in 2011 [have],” according to rbr.com.

We use our phones to do everything lately, from paying bills to shopping. Although we are a nation centered on convenience, technology has become more of a crutch for us all. We have even worked to simplify the task of reading a book, with devices like the Kindle.

It is as though Americans have become too lazy to do much of anything without the help of a technological device.

I am not advocating the eradication of smartphones. I enjoy mine far too much to get rid of it. However, what separates me from many of the other 73.3 million drones is that I am aware that I am becoming too dependent on my phone’s abilities.

It is not as if we do not understand how to navigate city streets or how to calculate 20 percent of a restaurant bill, so why are we so reliant on our phones to accomplish these tasks for us?

We should make a slow transition into being independent human beings again, who talk to each other instead of quick firing text messages. We should walk around without our heads bent over our phones.

Let’s work to reestablish a connection with one another, before technology alienates us permanently.