I have always been one for nostalgia. I miss looking at old pictures, longing for the days of blanket forts, playing Wii Sports, and hearing the consistent “I’m… and you’re watching Disney Channel.” Coming to college has done nothing to diminish my fond memories and, if anything, it has increased my appreciation for the comfort of the childhood I had. Growing up in the early 2000’s was magical, and the world has changed drastically since. 2000s kids were born into a world of simple joys, chalk drawing, razor scooters, and American Girl Dolls. We saw the invention of the iPhone, the rise in internet efficiency, and the shift to a digital age. Many of us were raised in homes where smart devices were a luxury until late grade school. For a while, we balanced precariously between being digitally native yet not entirely dependent. Unfortunately, this lack of dependence rapidly disappeared and now many of us find ourselves over-connected, too accessible, and wanting a break from the constant stimulation. Many of us are realizing we miss the slower pace of our childhood.
At the start of this year, I wanted to reclaim some of that simplicity. I wanted to learn new hobbies, explore new areas, and invest in creative endeavors. At first, I wasn’t sure how to achieve this goal and thought I was failing miserably, but then I started to see it in little everyday moments. I was joking with one of my roommates over several events in our lives and I realized that this is what I was aiming for; a relaxed and unfiltered life, which is a pursuit I think many generations are equally desperate for.
A couple of weeks ago, one of my roommates and I were shopping, walking through the craft section and she spotted the yarn. As we passed, she turned around and said “I think I’m going to start crocheting again.” I was surprised to learn that she knew how to, but encouraged her to pursue the craft. As the week progressed she started off making a washcloth, which then became a hand towel (apparently she made it too wide). It ended up becoming a cute, little purse. Of course, with all the changes to the end goal we had to tease her. And, as always, my phone heard us, because suddenly I was getting cute “little” crochet projects in my Pinterest feed. Of course, that inspired me to make a tote bag of my own. This gave me something to fill little pockets of time without doom-scrolling.
Starting a new project and allowing myself to learn and be bad at something has been so relaxing and given me something to do other than scroll on my phone when watching a movie with my friends or when I need a brain break from an assignment. My screen time was even at an all-time low this past week, reflecting the increased creative pursuits.
Another one of my roommate’s phones spontaneously broke this past week and because she couldn’t replace it immediately with another iPhone, she decided to go to Walmart and get a flip phone for $18, just for safety. I’m sure you can imagine the fun we’ve had rediscovering the joys of selecting a number key until it is the letter we want or taking an extremely pixelated photo without any control over the zoom. Not having a smartphone at first didn’t seem monumental but then we realized she didn’t know our numbers off the top of her head, we couldn’t use her location to find her around campus, and when she did get sick for a couple of days, she did in fact miss the access to endless scrolling.
The pull to seek enriching life experiences and minimize the fluff that constant access to the internet creates is not one unique to my roommates and I. There is a reason we are seeing an increase in reading, photography using different types of cameras, learning what could be seen as antiquated arts, finding new ways to pursue art, relaxed exploration, and a higher importance placed on intentional human interactions. We, as people, seek knowledge and efficiency to the point where the spark and passion for life gets easily lost in the noise. It’s no surprise we long for a return to the simpler times.
So what does this look like to you? Maybe it’s a new hobby, limited screen time, or just reinvesting time into things you already love. These small changes can have huge impacts on your day to day life. They can help you connect deeper with those you love, reduce stimulation and stress, prompt creativity and expression, and promote balance. It can seem daunting to try something new or disconnect from technology for a day, or in my roommate’s case, a week, but the benefits make experimenting with it worth the hassle. You may be surprised what truly brings you joy when you cut out some of the noise.