As I wrote my Winter Quarter ins and outs list over break, I resolved to spend less time on my phone. In: short stories. Card games. Borrowing books and actually reading them. Listening to CDs. Out: phone in the bathroom. Phone during movies. Multitasking during conversations. TikTok words. Learning news from infographics. Literally anything with AI.
On Monday, I lost my phone. I think it was stolen. I must have left it on a bench outside Lane History Corner, where I was taking a Hume Center Zoom call right before class. By dinnertime, Find My said it was in Los Angeles. Luckily, thanks to the magic of the cloud, the most irreplaceable thing I lost was a fortune cookie slip tucked into my clear case. I reported the incident to SUDPS, mostly because I was already there to file a permit for a dorm event next week.
I decided to see how long I could last without a phone.
In the past five days, I’ve gone through 14 pages of a college-ruled notebook, making lists that would otherwise live in my Notes app. I’ve listened to The Police’s “Greatest Hits” CD at least three times, instead of connecting to the aux cord. I’ve gotten used to the beep of my digital alarm clock, and the sound of my own footsteps as I shuffle to class. I answer my texts on my MacBook, and check the time on the waterproof watch I recently rediscovered in my desk drawer.
I like the freedom of not being accessible all the time. I love my friends, but maybe they don’t need to be able to track me. I like being forced to give my full attention to whoever I’m speaking with. I like the sense of superiority that comes along with reading a book in the Coupa line, or just standing there, people-watching. I especially liked the sense of accomplishment that overcame me after I successfully drove to San Jose with no navigation. I think picking up a Facetime on my iPad is hilarious, and doomscrolling Instagram reels on my laptop browser is much less captivating. Overall, I feel less distracted, like I’m paying more attention to the world around me.
On the other hand, I miss having my Google Calendar be immediately accessible. I don’t like not knowing where I’m supposed to be when. On Tuesday, I showed up half an hour early to a meeting with my advisor. On Wednesday, I walked into the wrong Wallenberg classroom. I don’t like the nagging feeling that I’m missing SMS texts or phone calls. I am worried about my upcoming Tahoe trip, being off the grid for my first real skiing experience. I’m pretty sure everything is on some app these days. I feel slightly discombobulated. It’s like I’m trying to juggle all the things that were already slipping out of my grasp, and now someone has cut off my thumb.
I wish I could say I’ve learned some grand lesson from my phone-free week. Mostly, I’ve learned how spotty the Wi-Fi is around campus. I’m not sure when I’ll get around to replacing my phone. Honestly, it doesn’t feel all that urgent. Maybe this will finally give me the chance to focus on reading more short stories, playing more card games and listening to that one album my friend recommended last quarter.