Future Racer,
You may have just attended training camp, or maybe you’ve just received your acceptance to the Race. In either case, you’ve probably gone over your packing plans thousands of times in your head.
If you’ve already been to training camp, you’ve likely heard many comments about not even adding your phone to the packing list. When I was in those seats last October, I was definitely open to the idea of leaving the phone behind. In America, my phone’s not usually chained to my side and I’ve gone on a few trips without one, so I believed the Race wouldn’t be a problem either.
In the end, I decided to leave it behind solely because of phone plan complications. After 10 months on the field I have rarely regretted leaving my phone, but I wanted to give future Racers true pros and cons. The decision to not have one this year works for me, but there are definitely some cons to not having it.
Pro:
- When we are at a restaurant or place with wifi, I spend a lot less time looking at my screen and more talking with my teammates. This year is about building community, and little moments out to eat make great memories if you invest in the people in front of you.
- I find that I panic a lot less about finding wifi than I would in America.
- My community at home knows that I don’t have my phone with me, and it gives me a chance to step back from my America life and invest in hosts and life on the field.
- It won’t break.
- I can’t lose it.
- If you have worried parents, not having your phone gives them a chance to trust the Lord more with your protection. It also honestly gives them a chance to let you be an adult. My parents are great and never were overly concerned about the Race, but I know this is true for others.
Con:
- If you don’t have a separate music device, you’ll really miss music. I brought the little iPod I’ve had since 8th grade and it works great.
- If you don’t have camera, you’ll miss capturing special moments on the Race. I have one, but rarely bring it to ministry because of the bulk. Most of my pics come from teammates tagging me on Facebook. I wish I would have taken more pictures because they would have told my experience on the Race rather than just my teammate’s.
- If you’re team has to walk to get wifi, you need to bring your entire computer rather than just a small device.
- Some apps won’t work on computers and you may want them for the year.
- Sometimes not having small tools, like a calculator (treasurers) or a flashlight is annoying.
Like I said, leaving the phone behind works great for me, but you may decide to still bring it. If you do, be intentional about investing in your community and honoring your host with the use of your phone. It can completely change the dynamic of your team and ministry!
