Just like that it’s over. Well, that’s how it feels anyway. It honestly feels like it was only yesterday that I was stressing out like mad trying to get the iPhone wiped ready for it to be surrendered. I wasn’t home when the deadline passed tonight, and when I got home I actually went and sat on the couch with Mat for half an hour before I decided it was time to tackle the task of reclaiming it. I didn’t whisper sweet nothingness into it’s microphone, and I haven’t secretly kissed it in private either. Has our relationship changed forever?! Queue the bold and the beautiful music please.

So what have I learned this week?

I discovered that I can survive without it, particularly in social scenes. Because I wasn’t thinking about writing another tweet, or checking some other application on the phone, I was focused on my friends. Mat and I went out for dinner a couple of times, and at first we joked that we were going to have to actually talk to each other, but it was great! I think this might be a lesson that some people in particular might need to learn; that having dinner without iPhones (or other technology for that matter) a couple of times a week isn’t a difficult thing (@amyob and @digitiel I’m looking at you).

I also learnt that it is damn convenient having an iPhone in your grasp. From checking my bank or the weather on the go, to being able to use google maps to find directions to where you want to go, it really does make life that much easier. This isn’t something new though; ask any iPhone owner and they’ll tell you the same. People who don’t have iPhones just don’t (and won’t) understand – they never will until they have one themselves. Remember the original comments when they first came out? “It’s just a phone!” Yeah right.

It also became apparent to me that suffering in public can be beneficial not only for myself, but for others as well. This week I’ve inspired another person to try the byephone challenge, convinced others to invest in an iPhone, and more importantly shown that by having strong willpower you can overcome almost anything. I’ve shown myself that if I can go without something I almost considered a necessity in my life, then I can put that strength to good use in other areas.

Update – It also appears that since Mat saw me succeed, he’s decided to try the original challenge, and give up poker for a week. I have faith he’ll be able to do it, he’ll just whinge a bit. Fair enough, since I did about my iPhone.

And now for the deep and meaningful part:

Perhaps everyone should take time to reflect on your own lives; see if you can find something you unknowingly treat as a necessity in life. Challenge yourself to go without it for a short period of time and see what happens. Or on the other hand, challenge yourself to try something new! Be it exercise, eating well, or something as silly as giving up an iPhone for a week, set yourself a goal and go for it. Because if you can prove to yourself you can do it, you’re well on your way to a lifetime of success.

(End of deep and meaningful bit). I’ve got my iPhone back! Yeah baby!

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