13th October.
First day without Phone:
Left rhetoric class after leaving my phone with the faculty. First thing I realised was that I didn’t know what the time was and had a meeting with my philosophy faculty at some point after. Was befuddled how I was going to be able to get there on time. Hung around on a bench before asking someone what the time was. It was ten minutes till meeting so made my way to philosophy faculty. Sat on chair in front of clock and then would go in.
Had the meeting. No more classes for the day so went back to apartment. At this point I would usually message my roomates to see what they are doing and where they are. Couldn’t do that so went back. Sat in front of the television wanting to watch it but couldn’t muster the interest to watch anything. Out of habit I felt for my pocket to check my phone, to maybe look up something, but then realised I didn’t have a phone. Got fidgety, I’m always figdety, and paced up and down apartment living room with only a desire for desires: boredom. Sat back down and looked out the window aimlessly. Got back up, paced up and down my room, then went into my bedroom to read. Picked up Crime and Punishment which I had only got a quarter of the way through. Read five pages then got figdety again. Went downstairs to get a coffee then came back up. Sat down on bed to read. Read for two hours. No word from roomates nor any contact. Got up, sat on sofa, paced up and down. Thought I would be productive so got all my work done. Then went to read. An hour goes by and I just sit and think. Start to remeber things I havn’t thought about in a while. At that moment my roomate walks in and asks if I want to get something to eat. I do. We get a stir fry and then meet my other roomate there. After that we go to the library. When there I see them procrastinating, checking their phones and listening to music. Gut an urge to listen to music but couldn’t. Then wanted to call my mum but couldn’t. Carried on studying. After we went back to apartment. They watched netflix but I had got into my book earlier, so I went to my room to read it – half way through now. Solitude is addictive. After a couple of hours I came back out and said goodnight. I never drank that coffee. Never slept so well.
14th October.
Second day without phone:
Day two… time eroding my sanity. No not really, rather the oppisite, but restoring it.
Stayed in bed waiting to hear the sound of my alarm. Was aware I didn’t have phoen night before, but forgot in the morning. Expected to hear my alarm from my phone at any given moment but it didn’t come. No way of telling time so carried on sleeping. Slept in till around 12:00 (wasn’t happy about that) when in a subsequent state of panic occured after I remebered I had no phone and I might miss my lecture – worried.
Roomate was just coming out of shower so I asked him. He answered and that’s when I knew I had about an hour till class. Showered, got dressed and then walked with my roomate to class. We bid farewell (felt like it) at the arts and letters hall. Given I had no phone we made arragenments to meet at a certain time in the quad. If not I should just meet him back at our apartment. I think he cared more than I did. The no phone act hasn’t taken its toll on me that much. Went to math class. Cam, my study partner, said asked why I hadn’t replied to his messages asking what we got in the midterm. I told him I had no phone. Shocked at first, he understood once I told him why. He said do I want to go study after class. I said I couldn’t as I was seeing my roomate. I then said I would message him at some point which he replied ‘ok’. Once we said goodbye and I walked off I then realised I didn’t have a phone to message him with so I would then have to catch him next class. Went to the quad to see my roomate after my philosophy class. No hurdles there. Waited around but no show of roomate. Gave up after ten minutes so headed back to the apartment. No sign of him there. Went to go read crime and punishment. Ten minutes later he barges in asking where I was. I answered the quad. He said i wasn’t there. I said he wasn’t either. He said he walking there. I said how was I supposed to know I had no phone. After the bickering, we studies for an hour or so and then resolved to go to the city to the bookshop. He wanted to get a book I recommended by Jack london: Call of the Wild and Martin Eden. We went up. Our other roomate messaged us saying where were we and then ‘where is charlie? I can’t get a hold of him’. Lived vicariously through roomates phone as he was basically my messenger. We got dinner, went back to the apartment and spent rest of evening there. Still feeling my pockets for my phone but overall I’m finding it pretty liberating without it. At some point in the evening we wanted to go get dinner at some place. I said I’d uber but then realised I didn’t have my phone. Old habits die…
15th October.
Third Day Without Phone:
Day three. Notable differences I’ve noticed are that I miss my music. I can’t say I miss anything else. I’ve always thought of my phone as a ball and chain you have to carry around to keep in touch with the world, bundled with a load of superfluous obligations such as replying to people straight away. I’ve realised that as soon as you have a phone people expect you to always be available, which isn’t true and’s quite pressuring. Absence of phone has alleviated a lot of stress in my view. Woke up and slept in till around 11:00. Showered then made my way to library to do some work. In the past when doing my work I’ve always taken sporadic breaks in between checking my phone, but today I didn’t. Ploughed right on through getting my work done. Was good. At around 12:50 made my way to the loop via the red line. Usually I would keep my head down and listen to music where I would either zone out or just look at my surroundings, using the music to advance their significance or my mood. In this case, without it, I just stared at people and watched them. They just looked like drones, doped up on electricity. Kind of depressing. Got to class. Someone in my class had a go at me for not replying to his message which was asking me what our homework was. Apparently it’s my fault. After I got back on the train expecting to meet my roomates at the apartment. They weren’t there and didn’t come back till late evening. They had been downtown and I couldn’t contact them because lack of phone. In meantime I just sat and read and watched some Office. Even took a nap. Things have become quite peaceful and less distracting since doing away with my phone. Might not pick it up till the weekends over…