I Went Phoneless After My Phone Had Died
I was travelling in continental Europe when the USB-C charging port of my Sony smartphone was broken. The battery drained out. I was anxious and frustrated, and I kept searching for phone repair shops in Berlin but no luck. Turned out USB-C port was uncommon back in 2017.
I went phoneless. Not really. I was travelling with my partner and I still used her phone for everything (apart from WhatsApp since you can only log in one account on a single device).
By the time I fixed the phone back in the United Kingdom in three weeks time, I missed >100 WhatsApp messages. I did not miss much as people could find me on other channels anyway. It was not really a phoneless experience.
I have been using that smartphone for two years since then. It was getting slow — common Android problem. I decided to restart my phone so that it would run smoothly. It never woke up again. It all happened in a late evening on a 19th November. Deepest condolences.
According to the Internet, losing your phone seems to be disastrous. Sitting in front of my laptop, I did not suffer much — it was no big deal — except I could no longer reply to WhatsApp messages, no longer post Instagram stories, no longer play PUBG… I was upset, but not really (partly because I finally got the chance to get a new one?) I spent the night searching for a new phone model on my laptop, and I could not wait to get a new Pixel 3.
Still able to access my Google calendar on my laptop, I realised that I had multiple appointments on the next day. I needed to 1) head to HSBC to sort out some account issues, 2) go to Carphone Warehouse to buy a new phone, 3) attend a meeting at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh where I had not been to, and 4) do grocery shopping.
The plan was to walk to every checkpoint and take a bus route 8 (as shown) from the Botanic Garden to the Tesco near my home. Having no Google Maps or any physical folded alternatives, I decided to draw a map myself. I would then have to trust my instinct and my drawings to head to the Botanic Garden (indicated as 20a).
I own no coins. They are clumsy and useless. I have always used mobile tickets for buses in Edinburgh. Losing access to my phone means that I would need some coins so as to take a bus ride. This could be done while I was at the bank. Great.
For the first time since primary school, I walked on the street without carrying a phone. The front left pocket of my pants was empty, like a fish out of water. I was walking down the hill (the Pleasance) alone without listening to music or podcast or anything.
I paid attention to my surroundings. I observed strangers on the streets. I reflected my weekend times with my friend, the work I had completed, the accomplishments I had achieved, and the people I had met. I thought about the immediate future (i.e. me having a new phone); I dreamed about my life five years ahead — Buying a car, buying a house, having kids, shaping a better world; I visualized different versions of the future — no deal Brexit, third World War, cashless world, Jerusalem, Mars, AI dystopia, having my ashes buried in serenity in outer space.
I did not miss a single intersection. I was early for my appointment. I felt less burden and more freedom to think, to overthink, to dream. No more hassle from WhatsApp. No more temptation from Facebook.
Life with phones is all about replying to emails, messages, posts, comments, stories etc.. You always feel like you are lagging behind whilst the Earth keeps spinning (this part is true). You are going to miss a party invitation, or a job offer, or a piece of breaking news. Nothing pops up. Clack. You unlock your phone — maybe the data was off, let’s be sure.
I have come to accept the fact that I am always lagging behind. It is impossible to get up to speed. I might as well pause a little when necessary. Anxiety fades away. The world stops rotating for a while. No more music. No more noise. (Music is noise.)
I did not activate my new phone until late evening when I finally had time to do so. I enjoyed my 24-hour phoneless experience. Whenever I feel like I have had enough, I turn off data (no one would call me anyway). I wish I could really go phoneless for a day, or a week.
I am going to a not-so-remote island next month for two weeks, and I aim to practice phonelessness willingly for the first time. Stay tuned.
Thanks for reading. I am an Edinburgh-based PhD student/data scientist. I write to find out what I think. Check out my latest articles:
Originally published at edenau.github.io.
I Went Phoneless After My Phone Had Died
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