The world’s most powerful force is phone addiction, commonly known as doomscrolling. Humans are utterly defenseless against this invisible, unstoppable force that leaves our noses glued to our phones and our eyes strained after hours spent staring at a small screen. I think we all, especially college students, need to bring back “Grandma” hobbies. These time-passers, often associated with older generations, can help us slow down, reconnect with others, and find purpose outside the digital world.
With few exceptions, I’ve lived my entire teenage and young-adult life in tight proximity to an iPhone. Now, seeing myself and many others addicted to screen time, I romanticize what life used to look like without today’s phones and, more importantly, without social media. In a screen-free world, I picture loud communal spaces filled with sounds of conversation and laughter. These days, as I wait for class to begin or the bus to arrive, I gravitate towards my phone. Subconsciously, I try to fill the silence around me instead of starting a conversation with the person next to me. Similarly, it’s intimidating to start small talk when most people around me have their AirPods in or are doomscrolling absentmindedly.
Humans, a social species, have lost touch with their humanity. This pseudo-reality found in phone addiction has made us more antisocial than ever, and we have lost connection with the people around us. In a media-scarce world, people often filled silence with creation. Entertainment came from within, through crafts, hobbies, and socialization, as opposed to Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. Hobbies such as gardening, knitting, baking, puzzling, and crocheting require both concentration and patience. Everyone needs to make time for these pastimes to reconnect with themselves and feel the reward of seeing hard work pay off outside of school, athletics, or other extracurriculars.
At UCSB, there are many ways to get involved. The Edible Campus Program is a great place to start if you want to interact with nature. By partnering with local community gardens, students can get involved in planting, composting, and more. This can be a perfect screen-free activity and also contribute to a project that benefits the entire Isla Vista community.
Additionally, baking has returned to fashion alongside the rise in sourdough making. While sourdough is an intense art form, baking simpler desserts like cookies or cupcakes can be a long, calculating process, but it’s also extremely rewarding. In the freshman dorms last year, people made banana bread or toaster-oven chocolate chip cookies and shared them with everyone on the floor. Small acts of kindness like this can be a great way to meet new people and feel a sense of personal gratification.
The New York Times Games are another way to challenge oneself. Whether it’s Wordle, Mini, or Connections, doing small puzzles throughout the day can stimulate the brain in ways beyond social media. It’s also fun to connect with others over Wordle scores or Mini times and build a community through shared interests.
Additionally, hobbies like crocheting and knitting are fun ways to stay busy without needing your undivided attention. While listening to an audiobook or chatting with friends, this craft can keep you grounded and away from outside distractions. Furthermore, crocheting, like baking, is highly rewarding and deeply relaxing. It lets you turn off your brain and focus solely on the task at hand.
Finally, creative writing can be a great activity that is both enriching and fulfilling. Whether it’s short stories, poetry, or journalism, giving yourself space to acknowledge and articulate your feelings can be extremely beneficial for your mental health and as a creative outlet.
Overall, “grandma” hobbies are an amazing way to ground yourself in the present and pass the time in a beneficial, rewarding way. In a digital world, it can be tempting to fill the silence or awkward gaps between classes with short-term stimulation. I think adopting these hobbies can help revive creativity that has diminished as more digital devices enter our daily lives.