The internet has been one of the biggest advancements in sharing communication that has ever occurred. People can learn about anything with a little searching savvy and a connected computer. This has undoubtedly made many people’s lives better and they’ve come to rely on the instant information.
Regardless of whether you use mobile data on your phone, or are blessed with HughesNet internet plans that send a vital connection to every room in your house, there are now a number of ways to access this all-important resource.
But what happens if the internet suddenly goes down for everyone? Whether through natural disasters or a purposeful attack from an individual or a group, there is a possibility that one day you will be unable to connect to the internet. What do you do then? Here are some ways you can live in a world without the internet.
Have a Cash Stash
One of the biggest advancements of the internet has been in the financial sector: we can move money around with the touch of a button, buying necessities with cards at stores, or typing in our information on websites. Without the internet, however, any money you have stored away from you may be unavailable to you.
That’s why you should have an emergency stash of cash where you can reach it whenever you need to. The best thing to do is to buy a wall safe or another type of lockbox that is either immovable or hidden so only you know where it is. This way, you will still have buying power should the internet go down.
Unplug
The best way to prepare for an internet outage is to take breaks from it every so often.
Rather than spend your weekend in front of the computer, go hiking or take a camping trip with your family. Just being outdoors can help you learn what to expect if there’s ever real trouble once the internet goes down. You will know how to build a shelter and what it feels like to sleep outdoors. You can prepare your body and mind for an extended period of time outdoors and be ready should anything ever happen.
You should also have information that you can carry with you that doesn’t require the internet, like books and pamphlets that can help you with anything you need. Field books and outdoor guides are excellent, internet-free sources of information.
Learn to Talk to People
One of the biggest things we rely on the internet for nowadays is to communicate with other people: we send emails, post on social media and blogs and even find friends and dates through internet services. While these are great ways to meet people and stay in touch, something human gets lost when we listen to people through keyboards and screens.
Should the internet ever go down, you will need to rely on your interpersonal communication skills to make your way through the world, and these skills may have suffered over the years. You can get the jump on the situation by working on your communication skills every day.
Try to meet someone new every day, even if it’s just for a quick conversation. Approach people you may not normally approach and try to strike up a conversation. This may be hard at first — and you may get some awkward responses — but the more you work on it, the more comfortable you will become. Soon, you will be able to talk to anybody, which will come in very handy if the internet no longer works.
Find the Right Books
The internet is a great way to answers to nearly any question you have. But once the internet goes down, you will have to rely on old-fashioned books, pamphlets and magazines to get the information you need to survive.
This means that you should have several books that can help you out in a world without the internet. Look for survival guides — the U.S. Army Survival Guide is readily available at nearly every bookstore — and guide books that can show you the edible plants in your region of the world and animals that are possible food sources.
Choose books and guides that can easily fit in your pocket or backpack without weighing you down. You can also end up with too many books, so pair your stash down to two or three essential guides that can help you in many different situations. This way, you will always have good information right at your side in case of emergency.
Learn Survival Skills
Many people today wouldn’t be able to start their own fire in the wilderness or even find where they want to go without consulting the internet. But of that’s gone, what do you do?
By learning basic survival skills — how to locate food, make shelter, basic medical knowledge — you can be better prepared to live in a world without the internet, for however long it’s gone. Even utilities can be affected by an internet outage, so even if you never leave your house, you should be able to know how to keep yourself warm or cool, make sure that water is safe to drink and how to bandage a cut properly.
Practice
If you are worried that civilization could drastically change if the internet suddenly vanished, you can always practice living that way.
To see if you have what it takes to cut it in a world that may force you to leave your home, why not take a few weekends to see what it’s like? Pack a bag like you are leaving your home for good and head into the wilderness, using your guides to live for a few days. This will get you prepared for different types of weather, different scenarios and it will test your basic survival skills.
There are even groups of people who do this sort of thing every weekend, so you can easily find others to practice with. This way, if the internet goes, you will have a good idea of what to expect and have the confidence to move forward.
You can try these things and more so you can be ready should the internet ever stop working.
By Conrad Novak. “I’m a proud father of two great children. My journey to being better prepared began when Hurricane Katrina hit and when I lost my job due to the 2008 economic crisis. That made me realize that in a short time everything can change for the worst. This experience pushed me into a new mindset, preparing me to expect the unexpected in life and to remain ever vigilant. All these hard events gave me the motivation to go through several courses, soaking in a number of books and put the knowledge into practice in order to improve my skills regarding survival and preparedness. I’m committed to providing you with the most accurate and up-to-date tips and information to help you become more self-reliant and keep you prepared for whatever life throws at you.”
About Jammie Morey
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