Nostalgic Benefits of Growing Up Without Smartphones

Imagine calling your boyfriend, girlfriend, or crush, and their parent picks up. An awkward conversation follows before you finally get to talk (or whisper) to the actual person you just phoned. That’s if you aren’t told to call back another time because they’re busy, it’s ‘too late,’ or it’s a school night.

It might sound cringe, but that was standard for many of us who grew up in the days before smartphones. And if we weren’t making the call from a big bulky phone plugged into the wall, it’s not unlikely we’d popped a few pennies in a payphone hoping they’d give us enough minutes to say all we needed to.

If you aren’t part of the ‘payphone generation,’ it might all seem a bit weird to you. But believe it or not, many of us would argue that there were a lot of benefits to growing up without being able to send an instant message or call home at any time, from anywhere.

Someone recently asked, “For people who grew up before smartphones, what is something that the newer generation won’t get to experience?” and the internet didn’t disappoint. No less than 15,000 nostalgic replies came forward, many likely (and ironically) sent from smartphones.

Bored Panda has put together a list of the best. Don’t forget to upvote your favorites and let us know in the comments below whether you feel life is better with, or without mobile phones. We also explored what it’s like to live a little without a smartphone in the digital age. You’ll find that info between the images.

A Life That’s Not Recorded

The ability to make mistakes and not have them follow you online for the rest of your life. They’ll never grasp the level of anonymity we enjoyed as a society.

Going to a Concert and Actually Watching It

The closest I’ve come to those childhood days of being smartphone-free was when I checked into a meditation center high up in the mountains. It wasn’t because of a lack of network, but rather because I was there for a 10-day Vipasanna retreat. If you’re unfamiliar with the word, it’s basically a silent retreat. Lots of meditation, no talking, no eye contact, no reading, and no phones.

The Joy of Slamming a Phone Receiver Down

The joy of slamming a phone receiver down in someone’s ear when they [angry] you off. It wasn’t just the “click” of a call disconnecting. There was an actual, loud BANG when you did it. Very satisfying in the moment.

The Lack of Pressure

I was a teen in the 80s. I have told my kids (who are teens) I wish they could have one summer in 1986 just so they could experience what life is like without the contestant firehose of social media posts and ads and messages… and expectation that you have to constantly check your socials and post about your awesome life.

Shopping at Record Stores

You could go to the record store (or movie rental store), shop for music, and there would be other people there who liked the same music as you. Now the record store is on your phone, and there is nobody in there to talk to.

Memorizing Directions

Having to memorise the directions for how to get somewhere without GPS maps.

Not Knowing If Pictures Are Good

Having no idea if the pictures you took are any good until they get developed at Walgreens.

Awkward Conversations with Parents

Calling a boyfriend/girlfriend and having to have an awkward conversation with their parent before getting to talk to them.

Riding Bikes Without Parental Contact

“Mom I’m going to ride my bike” – “OK honey be back before dinner” – proceed to go and get into absolutely ridiculous and often unsafe situations in places my parents didn’t even know existed while they had zero way of contacting or finding me and my friends.

Carrying Phone Numbers in Your Head

Carrying around a dozen or more phone numbers in your head.

Listening to Music on the Radio

That song finally comes on the radio, vaulting over your bed to press Record, having each track on your mixtape begin with “…only on Q101!”.

Watching Shows Together

Watching a big season finale at the exact same time as everyone else and then talking about it the next day at school. Having to be home by a certain time to watch a show and timing bathroom breaks with commercials.

Riding Bikes to Friends’ Houses

Getting on your bike and just driving to your friends house not knowing if they are there or not.

Playing Snake on Old Phones

Snake. A phone that could be dropped 3 floors and still work. A battery that would last a week on a single charge. 3210, I miss you.

Finding Change in Payphones

Going to make a call at the pay phone and finding change in the coin return!

Receiving Books with Public Information

Having a book mailed to your door with EVERYONE’s phone number and address. All public information!

Receiving Love Letters

Getting an actual letter from someone, especially love letters.

Experiencing Boredom

Boredom. Which sounds like a bad thing but actually isn’t.

Freedom from Parental Contact

The freedom of your parents not being able to get ahold of you while you’re out and about with friends.

Hanging Out with Friends

Hanging out with friends and having to come up with games outside or stay up late talking about silly things. With the ideas only you and your silly little friends can dream up, influenced by your personal experiences in your day to day life and stories you hear by the spoken word.

Collect Calls on Payphones

Using a payphone to place a collect call and cramming your entire message into the “State your name” pause. “Would you like to accept a collect call from ‘MomPickMeUpAtTheMall!!'”.

Passing Notes in Class

Passing paper notes in class.

Engaging with People Around You

Engaging with people that are in your presence and not ignoring them for a text conversation.

Latchkey Kids

Latchkey kids, my mom came home from work and caught me playing run-around-the-shoe which is exactly what it sounds like. The rules were whatever I made up right then. But I think mostly we all had to learn to self-entertain by whatever means we had.

Enjoying Moments Without Photos

Not taking photos of what you see or eat — just enjoying the moment.

Being Unreachable

The joys of leaving your home in the morning with a pocket full of coins and knowing that not only were you not expected back until sundown, but they couldn’t find you even if they wanted to lol.

Wrapping Phone Cords

Wrapping the phone cord multiple times around your little brother until your Mom yelled at you to stop.

Privacy

Privacy.

Using Street Maps

Having a street map in the car and looking up the grid reference for the street.

Being Unreachable

Being unreachable.

Arguing About Things

Being able to argue about daft things that you could solve easily by googling. “Who was the actress in such-and-such?” “What year did that happen?”

Peaceful Social Media-Free Days

A peaceful social media-less day.

Getting News from Traditional Sources

You only had the TV /radio news or newspapers to tell you what was happening around the world. You had to actively hunt out your news or you would know nothing. Nowadays we’re bombarded with information, news, advertising and propaganda constantly.

Not Being Able to Locate People

Back in the day you couldn’t call someone to ask where they were. If they answered, they were at the location you called. Now anyone can be anywhere.

Work Breaks Before Smartphones

When video games didn’t grind and offer in app purchases. Wasn’t a car salesman disguised as entertainment.

Meeting People at Bars

Just rocking up at your local bar in your 20s after work and seeing who’s there. I actually got close to a few friends of friends this way. It made me mingle outside my friend zone more.

Not Knowing Answers

Accepting that you have no clue about which actor was in THAT movie, or whether Tina Turner is dead or just old, or what the weather will be like in 2 weeks…

Rather than “oh, let me google that!”