Once upon a time, not in a fairy tale, but just about 15 years ago, phones had a single, noble purpose: calling people. You know that ancient ritual where you actually spoke to another human being. Fast forward to today, and our phones have become our alarm clocks, calendars, photo albums, calculators, music players, recipe books, weather forecasters, fitness trainers, and occasionally… therapists.
The moment we wake up, the first thing we do is check the time on our phone. Not the wall clock, not the table clock, because, let’s be honest, who even owns a clock anymore? Calendars? They’re now hidden deep inside drawers, probably under a pile of old bills and takeaway menus. We’ve replaced them with the sleek “Google Calendar” that not only tells us what day it is but also sends a polite notification when we’re late for something… which we’ll still ignore.
Honestly, it’s not even about convenience anymore. The phone has become such an all-in-one device that we’re not even using our brains like we used to. Why remember a birthday when Facebook will remind you? Why memorize directions when Google Maps has your back? And why think too hard about an assignment when you have cool ChatGPT ready to save the day?
Back in the day, relationships were simpler. Parents chose a partner, the girl said yes, the boy said yes (or at least pretended to), and boom, wedding bells. Love, if it wasn’t already there, would show up eventually.
Now? The romantic landscape is like a Netflix series with too many plot twists. We’ve gone from “one love for life” to “let’s keep our options open.” You’ve got school love, tuition love, neighborhood love, crushes, situationships, “just friends” with suspicious amounts of flirting, and “just dating” with zero intention of marriage.
And let’s not forget the modern upgrade to marriage: the “divorce trend.” It’s especially popular among celebrities, but ordinary folks are catching up. There’s even a silent social rule: if you manage to have only one love and one marriage in your life, you’re instantly branded a “boomer.”
These days it feels like everywhere you look someone has a vape in their hand. What started as an alternative to smoking has quickly turned into a social trend, especially among young people. Vaping has become less about the nicotine and more about the image it carries; sleek devices, flavored clouds, and the casual habit of pulling it out in any setting. For many, it’s seen as a fashion accessory or a way to blend in with peers, much like carrying the latest phone or wearing trendy clothes. This rise in popularity shows how quickly lifestyle choices can shift into cultural trends, even when the long-term effects are still being debated.
Remember when A-Levels were a big deal? They were the crown jewel of school life, the last lap before you entered the adult world. People studied hard, took their time, and enjoyed that “final year school vibe.”
But now? Kids seem to be in a race. Why waste two years on A-Levels when you can skip straight to a foundation program and head to university early? It’s all about getting that degree at lightning speed. While ambition is great, it sometimes feels like they’re missing the journey. School trips, farewell parties, and random classroom chaos are moments you can’t download later. Life isn’t a Netflix show you can binge, sometimes you’ve got to watch it episode by episode.
In “the good old days” (and yes, I’m sounding like your grandmother now), people started working around 25. By then, they’d finished their studies, maybe done some traveling, and were ready for the 9-to-5 life.
Now? You’ve got 17-year-olds earning money from freelancing, YouTube, TikTok, or part-time jobs. On the plus side, they’re financially independent earlier. On the minus side… well, most of it goes to shopping, gadgets, and cafe-hopping with friends. To be fair, I’m guilty too, earning just enough to spoil myself. There’s a certain joy in swiping your card for a coffee you technically didn’t need.
Phones aren’t the only things that have evolved. Technology in general has transformed the way we live. Once upon a time, you’d have to wait for the 7 p.m. news to find out what was happening in the world. Now, you get live updates every minute, whether you want them or not. Cooking? There’s an app for that. Exercising? You’ve got virtual trainers. Shopping? Why walk when you can add to cart? Meeting people? There are more dating apps than there are people actually looking for love.
It’s convenient, yes, but we’ve also lost certain simple pleasures, like the thrill of waiting for a letter in the mail or the joy of asking someone for directions and ending up in a random conversation. Everything now is about speed. Fast food, fast internet, fast deliveries, fast degrees, fast relationships. Even movies feel faster because we skip intros and double the playback speed when binge-watching.
Patience has become an endangered virtue. Waiting in a queue? Boring. Waiting for a text reply? Agonizing. Waiting for anything at all? Unacceptable. But here’s the thing, slowing down has its perks. Walking instead of rushing. Talking face-to-face instead of sending an emoji. Cooking a meal from scratch instead of heating a ready-made one. These aren’t just old-fashioned, they’re human.
Now, I’m not saying everything “back in the day” was perfect. Our grandparents didn’t have Google Maps, so they actually got lost. They didn’t have online shopping, so they had to physically go to markets. But somewhere in this rapid-fire modern life, we might be losing the balance. We’ve got more tools, more choices, more opportunities, but less patience, less simplicity, and maybe less depth. The trick, I think, is blending the best of both worlds. Use your phone, but don’t forget how to read a clock. Swipe right if you want but also try talking to someone in real life. Work hard, but don’t skip the silly, youthful moments that make memories. Because at the end of the day, whether you’re a “boomer” or a “Gen Z multitasker,” life isn’t about doing everything fast. It’s about doing the things that matter, slow enough to enjoy them. Maybe we should bring back clocks and calendars. Not because we need them, but because they remind us that time is precious… and it’s worth watching, not just on a screen.
