Does anyone else feel as if they’re spending tons of money but have nothing to show for it?Ā
As Iām moving further into my 20s and considering money, jobs, and life in general, I haven’t felt hopeful about the future and what that holds for our generation in the age of subscription culture. You spend money but donāt seem to physically own anything. Music subscription, film subscriptions, software subscriptions, rail cards, food boxes, cars, phones, printers and ink! Even that’s a bit far, to have to subscribe to an ink service to be able to use a printer you have PAID for!
Personally, I try to keep subscriptions down to a minimum. Managed to convince my mum to delete her Spotify subscription, now working on the TV license. Donāt get me wrong, platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ all used to be great when they first came out, but quality has declined rapidly. Original shows get cancelled after one season, storylines feel repetitive, or sequels take years to come out and donāt live up to the hype or expectations.Ā It also feels like these days you have to subscribe to individual channels rather than just one package that covers everything on the service, corporate greed at its finest.Ā
A little glimmer of hope, I have found, is the return of physical media. I, for one, have gotten into vinyls the last couple of years, listening to my parents’ old records that still have the 99p price sticker on. I know, imagine paying 99c for a record now! Vinyls have become their own art form, being able to frame album sleeves or the vinyls themselves, being different colours or having unique patterns. CDs are surprisingly coming back into fashion, which may be because most vinyl players also play CDs.Ā
The closest I got to a film camera was those rubbish little disposable cameras, you know the ones, they would have a limit of like thirty shots, and you would have no idea what you had taken a picture of till you got them developed. I have fallen further into scrapbooking by succumbing to the Instax camera trap. A film camera definitely makes you more aware of what you’re taking pictures of; there’s no redo, and you’re paying for each piece of film. I do love how they make everything look old, though, a little bit of a yellow tinge to the overall picture.Ā Ā
I really want to join a print club. And I know what you’re going to say, āthat’s a subscription serviceā While technically yes, you pay each month to receive something from the print club, if you stop subscribing to the club, someone isn’t going to come and break down your door and demand all the items back. You bought them, you own the prints for life, you just donāt receive anymore from the service the next month. Artists also make the service feel extremely personal. A favourite of mine is Muraās backers dozen print club, every month a completely unique print comes in its own packaging, often accompanied by a piece of writing.Ā
I have always loved art and make a habit of finding small pieces to collect, whether that be postcards from museums or packaging from small businesses that have a creative twist. I don’t believe in minimalism at all! My room is covered in posters, shelves packed with trinkets or plants, and cork boards with pinned artwork. If it fits the cottage core aesthetic, be sure, I will find a palace to pin it to my walls.Ā
Snail mail is a new trend picking up speed which myself and a friend have joined. I dare you to go to the post officeā¦ talk to a personā¦ buy a stampā¦ panic over which class you think is most secure compared to costā¦ and send physical mailā¦ in the post. It is exhilarating. Those couple days checking in to see if it’s arrived at their place yet, intact. It’s also really fun to not let them know youāve sent something and they message you like, āwhats this youāve sent me?ā Now the name Snail mail basically originates from the fact that posting a written letter takes days, in comparison to an email which is instant, hence the speed of a snail. I think it’s also strengthened our friendship, especially given the distance now we only get to see each other every few months. I would suggest you give it a go, you never know, you might receive something in return.Ā
My take away from this, and feel free to disagree with me, we crave physical affection as human beings and digital media is no longer satisfying that dopamine need. You scroll your feed, you get a like, your friend texts you, it all takes a minimal amount of time and not a lot of thought and once you turn off that little glass screen your cut off. Now physical media is yours, its part of your personal collection, you may get a little dopamine rush when you buy it or receive something and then it goes somewhere in your room, apartment or house. Then you see it again, and again and again and you’re reminded of why that item brings you joy. You feel emotionally connected to it because it may be connected to the memory of a person, an experience or a passion. Mentally and emotionally I believe physical media is healthier for us, it’s something we need to invest in, feel connected to, and it helps us slow down.Ā
So, my advice for you isnāt to go to the extreme and cancel all your subscriptions, go off the grid and learn to spin yarn. Go to your local bookstore, search for a craft fair, do a pottery class or simply write a letter and post it to a friend. Slow down, take a breath, and think about what physically brings you joy or comfort or tickles that little obsessive part of your brain (mines glass figurines at the moment), then go out and physically find something related to that joy. Doesnāt need to be expensive, charity shops are a uni studentās one true love. You don’t even need to find it on the first try, just keep exploring physical media, you never know, you might find something new.Ā
Editor: Grace Lees