As a preteen, I couldn't resist the siren song of AIM, or AOL Instant Messenger. I'd hear that "door opening" noise or a message notification and rush to my computer, eager to see if the sign-on was my best friend or my boyfriend, both who were equally tethered to AIM at the time. (Naturally, all of our screen names usually contained the name of the person we were "dating" at the time ― NicksGirl4Eva88 was the height of romance in middle school in 2001.)
With our ever-present smartphones linked to everything from banking to kids activity schedules, switching off can seem impossible. But there is a way to step back. With summer over, it may be hard to even begin thinking about holidays. But the next time a few days off do swing around, can I make a recommendation?