- When I first started college, I didn’t need a smartphone.
- We couldn’t easily stay connected or make plans to hang out, so we became more spontaneous.
- We also feel more connected and rarely upload photos in real time.
when I took the photo university tour In the early 2000s, I carefully walked around campus and took notes on important locations. The campus is lush with trees, has a lively school atmosphere, and is built in a circular shape for ease of movement. The tour guide pointed out high-traffic areas and mentioned important dorms and buildings, but I made sure to pay attention because that was where I needed to make friends. I entered university without a smartphone, so I didn’t have any other options at the time.
Although it may seem inconvenient or even frightening now, we are among the last generation to enter university without qualifications. smartphone It was a gift. I was able to interact with my friends in a really natural way, which created a lot of fleeting memories that I still look back on fondly. I also didn’t have to worry about developing an online persona. This feels almost mandatory these days.
Some people on campus had smartphones, but not everywhere. True, they were not as popular as they are now. Facebook was popular, but social media didn’t rule our world Life on campus. I had a basic lime green flip phone and loved it.
Some of the best social interactions happened without planning
It wasn’t uncommon for friends to stop by each other’s houses, just like in old sitcoms. dorm room Or an off-campus apartment. Sometimes the person you’re looking for may be there. Sometimes it wasn’t. But some impromptu visits can also lead to a lifetime of inside jokes and memories. I learned that firsthand.
Since you can’t make plans via text, stopping by to see if your friend wants to go to the gym with you or pick up food wasn’t considered invasive. There was less structure, but more random moments due to downtime.
I have fewer preconceived notions about strangers.
Meeting new people means getting to know them firsthand. New faces on campus were usually just new faces. There weren’t tons of pictures of them posted online beforehand. I didn’t know their online aesthetic yet. Most of the time I didn’t know anything about them because I was meeting them for the first time.
Confirmed social media I used the computer sporadically and then I moved on with my life and went to meet new people. Back then, not many people were building their personalities online yet, so there was nothing to learn about my classmates.
there was more freedom
Especially there was an opportunity for freedom from family relationships.
I remember a girl who had a smartphone and was tracked by her parents. I told her it was ok to leave the phone in the room or go outside. The situation made no sense to me and seemed like a complete invasion of privacy, especially for an adult. It is now common for many parents to track their children. child’s placeEven if those kids are now college-age adults.
As young adults, being independent and gaining new experiences without having to be in constant contact with anyone was extremely important to many emerging adults. university student.
No one was posting photos or updates in real time
A lot of my stupidity in college was temporary. not necessarily digital footprint From bad fashion choices to intense but short-lived romantic relationships.
of course, facebook was popularHowever, photo uploads typically occur the day after you check your digital camera’s SD card. I had time to re-evaluate and cherry-pick the images. There was no pressure to post in real time, so I was able to live in the moment.
Instead of getting ready to take photos, my friends and I got ready for a night out. The photos were to document rather than dictate what we were planning.
Connecting with people was more intentional
I didn’t have many connections online, so I was able to connect more in real life. my friend. I didn’t have service in most places and I wasn’t great at sending emails, so not being distracted by my phone allowed me to make memories with the people around me.
When I wanted to connect with locals, I did it very intentionally. There wasn’t much service inside, so I went for a walk outside, walking up and down the narrow streets, trying my best to reach the person on the phone, usually my best friend from high school or my sister. .
By the time I was in third grade, I had a smartphone. They were increasingly needed, especially in schools. But I’m grateful for the empty moments, especially during a time of transition in my life.