The Escape Back to the Real World

This might be extremely contradictory since whoever is reading this must be online, and it was necessary for me to be online in order to write this blog post. But here it is: I truly do not like to be online. I feel much better whenever I am disconnected from screens and one with my surroundings. There is a deeper sense of peace, calm, and even creativity that pours through me when I put the technology away. I connect more with those around me and my environment, something that is truly so healthy and life changing. However, I cannot lie, it is mighty difficult. We are addicted to social media and the tools on our phones that make everyday tasks so simple. We really do rely on our phones, making the idea of disconnecting daunting and impossible. But fear not! It is actually becoming a trend. 

Andy Corbley in “‘Offline’ Trend Sees Thousands Attending Phone-Free Concerts Dates, and Events Where You Can ‘Find Your People,’” talks about how a new trend has taken some cities by storm. There are events springing up around major metropolitan areas where technology is either not allowed, or very limited. This comes after research done by the British Standards Institution has found that most teenagers (68%) said that they feel worse after spending too much time online. More and more people want to ditch the digital world for the real one. Funnily enough, the Offline Club of Europe has 500,000 followers on Instagram - illustrating how popular this idea is becoming. The events that this club hosts require that all phones be confiscated prior to the event starting. Many other companies are sharing this idea and applying it to various niches. For instance, Sofar Sounds is a business that specializes in creating concerts that highly encourage attendees to refrain from any sort of technology. In a similar fashion, an app called 222 takes a user’s interests and finds events that might be of interest to them. These events highlight the importance of straying from technology use and instead, socializing with people and sharing in new experiences. These new companies and apps are on a mission, and I feel as though they will only continue to become more successful with the way this ‘offline’ trend is growing. 

I am so excited to see more and more people wanting to become less reliant on their phones, and more interested in absorbing the real world that surrounds them. I strongly believe that decreasing the time spent using technology will foster stronger relationships, greater creativity, and more time for introspection - all of which leads to a better society. So now that you are done reading this, put away the technology and go outside and explore!

A digital camera capturing me and my boyfriend at a concert. We opted in for a no phone evening.

Source:

Corbley, Andy. ““Offline” Trend Sees Thousands Attending Phone-Free Concerts, Dates, and Events Where You Can “Find Your People.”” Good News Network, 19 Nov. 2025, www.goodnewsnetwork.org/offline-trend-sees-thousands-attending-phone-free-concerts-dates-and-events/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.