Life Before Apps & Screens
Remember what life was like before that convenient little device in your pocket? When keeping in touch with relatives overseas or looking up the definition of a word wasn’t so simple? It seems almost unimaginable now, but there was a whole different routine we used to have without apps or screens. If you're feeling nostalgic, here are 20 things we used to do—from using phonebooks and keeping physical maps—before smartphones.
1. Used Phonebooks
Remember phonebooks? Those big, clunky, dictionary-sized mammoths that were updated and delivered every year or so? Yup—before the rise of smartphones, we had to rely on those giant directories for everything, from the number to the closest laundromat to the pizza parlour.
2. Bought Actual Alarm Clocks
You can easily set as many alarms as you want on your smartphone now (and one for each minute of each hour, if you want), but back then, we had actual alarm clocks. And unless you had a snooze option on yours, you either had to get up right when it rang, or risk being late to class or work.
3. Purchased Long Distance Calling Cards
Smartphones have made it easy for us to call anyone we want to across the world with just a stable Wi-Fi connection. But back then, it wasn't so simple. In fact, you likely remember purchasing physical phone cards with international codes on them and a set amount of minutes. It's crazy to see that technology has evolved so much since then.
4. Played Board Games & Cards
Remember Guess Who? Monopoly? Connect Four? These were the games we loved playing before the rise of smartphones, and even if you still play them now, you likely do so on your phone. And don't forget the card games we used to shuffle through religiously, such as Go Fish, Crazy Eights, UNO, and Big Two.
5. Kept Physical Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
If you wanted to look up the meaning of a word or the history behind World War II, you'd likely type up your query on Google and get an answer in seconds. But before smartphones and reliable internet connections? You probably had to keep a physical dictionary and encyclopedia at home.
6. Took Photos with Actual Cameras
Smartphones have also made it easy for us to take photos—and videos—whenever we want, wherever we want. But back then, we either had to bring a physical camera with us or rely on flip phones with horrible pixelated resolutions—neither of which seemed like a good option.
7. Printed Photos at a Shop
And if you remember taking photos with a physical camera, you likely remember getting those pictures printed at a shop. Nowadays, we typically just keep these colorful memories in our phone's photo gallery, though we do have easier options if we want a physical copy.
8. Checked the Forecast on the TV
If you wanted to check whether it would rain two weeks from now, you'd probably check the Weather app on your smartphone or search it up. But before technology became this advanced, our best (and only) bet was to flip through weather channels on the TV until we got the answer we wanted.
9. Watched Cable TV
Remember cable TV? Nowadays, you probably have several subscriptions to popular streaming services, whether it be Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime. But back then, if you wanted to watch movies or catch up on your favorite TV show, you had to pay to get access to specific channels.
10. Went Outside to Play
We didn't just play more board and card games before smartphones—we went out more to play outside. From swinging on the monkey bars to playing different versions of tag, our childhoods were likely filled with outdoor time. Now? We're often cooped up at home on our phones.
11. Frequented the Library
If you wanted to read your favorite author's latest release, you can download a designated app on your phone to do so, or flip it open on an e-reader. But remember what we used to do before all this convenience? We frequented the library and book fairs, and got our hands on physical books.
12. Took Forever to Text a Friend
During the age of Nokias and flip phones, when keyboards were half the size of an average palm, it took as many as three or four button presses to pick the right letter. This meant spelling out a simple greeting or message took much longer than it does now, as we can type and send texts almost instantaneously with our smartphones.
13. Used Physical Maps
Google and Apple Maps, who? Back then, we couldn't just search directions on our smartphones and get precise navigation from almost anywhere in the world—we had to rely on physical maps instead. You probably even remember how painstaking it was, especially for longer road trips.
14. Consulted Printed Bus Schedules
Sure, printed bus schedules still exist, and some people might still use them, but we can probably all agree that it's much faster and accurate to find that information on our phones instead. We didn't have this luxury back then, though, which meant we were sometimes too early or too late when the bus didn't arrive at the time the paper schedule promised.
15. Hung Out Without Screens
Ask yourself: When was the last time you hung out with your friends or went through an entire dinner without looking at your phone? Chances are, you probably can't recall a recent time, right? After all, most of us are probably glued to our smartphones 24/7, whereas before they existed, we actually made time for screen-free, face-to-face interactions.
16. Made Every Plan in Person
Before cell phones became a device everyone had in their pocket, we had to make plans in person and far in advance. Otherwise, there was virtually no way to keep in contact, unless everyone in the group had a landline phone. Thankfully, smartphones have made making plans with our friends much, much easier.
17. Listened to CDs
Remember the CD albums you used to buy or the CD binders you used to keep in your car? Back then, it wasn't so easy to listen to the music we liked—we had to have a physical copy. Nowadays? All we have to do is search up the song on Spotify, and we can jam away.
18. Read Physical Newspapers & Magazines
It wasn't just physical books we read—there were also newspapers and magazines we often had a pile of. While we can now easily read articles and columns online, back then, we used to deliberately purchase them from the store and flip through them at the kitchen table.
19. Wrote Postcards & Emails
If you wanted to update your friends and family about your latest solo backpacking trip, you'd probably send a text along with some photos you've taken. But before smartphones made this process easy, we had to do this through emails or postcards and letters, which often took far more time and effort.
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20. Used Camcorders
Camcorders might still be a thing for film enthusiasts and professionals, but they're definitely not as widely used as they were back then. After all, the smartphone you have in your pocket can take photos, record videos, and even edit them on the fly, which makes it so much more convenient and, not to mention, easy to carry around.
