Over reading week, I was fortunate enough to stay in the mountains with minimal cell service. Yes, you read that right — I feel fortunate to have not had access to my phone. University is always so busy with students constantly wanting and needing to stay connected. As a result of this, we often don’t take the time to stop and think about how much importance we are placing on our devices. I am here to remind you to take some time and reset without your phone because you may end up being surprised about how much you really needed the break. Here are some things I did over the reading break to embrace the simple-life, more or less away from my phone.
- Reading
-
Reading — Not to start off with the biggest “put your phone away” cliche, but reading is back! So much amazing fiction is circulating and easy to find these days, but it’s even easier to get in a slump during the school year (especially as an English major that has to read a ton). However, reading is still awesome. Being able to get lost in a unique and unfamiliar story can provide such a great sense of peace and serenity. Think about how nice it feels to avoid all your problems by reading about someone else’s. Getting into (or back into) reading can feel daunting, but the escape from reality is worth it. Over the break, I was able to finish a book that I have been trying to finish since April. I read over half of it in a day. Though it’s slightly long, Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin was an interesting and highly immersive book to read in my spare time and might be worth checking out to kick off these phone-less activities. So, pick up a book; you may be surprised how lost you can get in it.
- Light-Hearted and Binge Worthy TV
-
On the note of getting lost in a story, we may as well add TV into the mix. I know I said ‘phone-less,’ but I didn’t necessarily say ‘screen-less!’ Sometimes, an all-day rot and binge is the perfect way to recharge and escape from the craziness of life and mindless scrolling. I always find it better to binge more light-hearted series to leave me feeling upbeat and inspired. Over the break, I downloaded all of Heartstopper starring Kit Connor and Joe Locke. Though it dealt with some serious subjects surrounding mental health and identity, Heartstopper was one of the sweetest and most uplifting shows I have seen in a while. It left me with such a warm feeling in my heart and it was very bingeable. Again, sometimes it feels great just to get lost and learn things from a story that isn’t your own for a change.
- Go On a walk
-
Although these are all pretty cliche recommendations, I truly forgot how good it felt to walk without getting distracted by my phone. Technically, I use my phone on walks to listen to music, but I use Bluetooth headphones and store my phone away on Do Not Disturb in a hard-to-reach location. Listening to your favorite sweet music and fully taking in your surroundings, while breathing in the fresh air, can feel like a new level of grounding. Spend some time with yourself, your thoughts and some good music to help embrace the well-deserved relaxation! University is a place where you are almost constantly around other people, so it’s crucial to take time for yourself and rejuvenate, and a nice walk can really get the job done.
- Journalling (or writing anything down)
-
I find my phone to be such a big distraction that I often don’t take enough time to think, process and feel all of my thoughts. Journaling can be a great outlet for working through complicated thoughts or just releasing information; coming from someone who would otherwise be a very bad secret-keeper. If you feel like your thoughts and feelings aren’t that deep in the moment, it can still be fun to make a random list or schedule or just write whatever. You can use writing as a very versatile outlet, whether it be for planning out your FOCO prep schedule to sharing your deepest and darkest thoughts. Either way, a page can act as a whole new world, and the world is your oyster!
- get creative!
-
No matter how bad you are at things like art, baking, knitting, scrapbooking and so on, they can still be useful phone-less exercises. Over the break, I did a bit of acrylic painting. Although my technical art skills may at times leave something to be desired, I still had a great time trying something through finding art inspiration from Pinterest and stepping out of my comfort zone as opposed to reverting to my doom-scrolling habits. Just because you might be new or not great at something creative doesn’t mean it can’t serve as a fun and relaxing activity. Think about something you’ve wanted to or have been meaning to try, and let your creativity help you reset.
- Play cards or board games
-
If you’re more extroverted, you may not want to do your ‘slowing down’ alone, and that’s not a bad thing! Although most of the other suggestions can also be done both individually or collaboratively, I’ll still be the one to advocate for bringing back classic games! They’ll bring out sides of your loved ones’ personalities that really help you to get to know them better. Plus, they’re just fun and relaxing. Real-life games are a great way to chill, have fun, and spend some quality time slowing down with the people you love face-to-face. I’m personally a big fan of Clue as a stimulating and fun game to play with friends.
All in all, there are tons of things that can help you to slow down, relax and practice self-care that don’t involve being constantly glued to your phone. Make time to care for yourself with honest intention – your mind and body will thank you for it!