There was a time when I worked in two universities where I had to have two cell phones. I had a cell phone number that was exclusively for students and the other number was private, only family and very close friends had it, although over time I also gave it as references in banks and other government agencies. And I still keep that same number.
Why two cell phone numbers?
I had the need for privacy, to get away from undergraduate and graduate students at the end of each semester. I had a number exclusively for students. I had the need to have that number just for them because I received constant calls on any day, no matter if it was on weekends and at any time, no matter if it was late at night. For the students, it was like I was on call 24 hours a day, every day.
In the last few years, before my retirement from public work, I was involved in teaching undergraduate and graduate research papers to undergraduate and graduate students. And I also served for several years as a juror in undergraduate thesis defense. There were too many students, many, I could say at times there were more than 100 students between the two private universities because I was also a thesis juror and I had in my hands their papers that they were going to defend to qualify for a degree in their university career. Most of them were stressed and loaded with a lot of anguish because they had too many obstacles to deliver their final work. There were too many anxious calls that I was always answering at any time.
On many occasions, they called me to ask such simple questions that showed that they had not read the internal rules of the university to prepare the final thesis. They would ask such simple questions, but when they were asked so late at night on a Saturday or Sunday, I did not like them very much, rather they annoyed me. I remember once I was called to ask if the first pages of the thesis were numbered and it was a very late Sunday, even sleep was taken away from me by that student.
Hence my need to have another cell phone number and at the beginning of each semester I would write the number on the blackboard. I had my academic advising schedule and I also attended after hours at the request of the students themselves. Almost at the end of each semester, the routine doubled because as the thesis due date approached, the demands on the advising were greater.
In the last month, the insistence for support was more intense. I always tried to put myself in the students' shoes and was available to them. I never refused to give advice. But in the last week when they started calling late at night, I turned off my cell phone. That cell phone was off every day after 7pm and on weekends. It was the only solution to the problem of the students' lack of consideration.
It was the only time when I had the need to turn off my cell phone. I stopped working at universities to start working as a coordinator of a training program for a refinery staff. I always kept both cell phone numbers, but at this level of training, I did not receive calls on weekends and even less in the evenings. So over time, I didn't use that number as much, and now I don't have it anymore. I just keep the same one that my family and friends have always had.
After a while, the cell phones got damaged and I was without a cell phone for a long time. I am not addicted to technology. The term to define a person addicted to technology is nomophobia, because I am sure I am not, because I have spent a lot of time without a smart phone. I am more aware of real life. When I go out for a walk, shopping or to visit a friend I leave my cell phone at home, I go out without a cell phone. Yesterday I spent the whole day without Internet because the power went out for several hours and at different times of the day. I spent the day in my real life very relaxed, doing other activities. The only thing I regretted was not being able to post, read and comment anything on the read.cash platform.
According to some data I researched, a person spends 8 hours or more a day on his cell phone, either for work or because he is immersed in the world of the metaverse. Currently, there are many people addicted to cell phones... What do you think?.. leave me your comment.
Always grateful to my followers and sponsors that thanks to technology we have been connected all the time and publishing in this magnificent platform that allows us to interact actively, no matter if it's the weekend or late at night. With you I never turn off my cell phone. You guys are the best.
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that's feeling great to enjoy reading your article. waiting for next topic.