Student Opinion Column: The Return of Retro Hobbies
Launch the media gallery 1 playerFor years, Generation Z has been slapped with the labels of being “out of touch with the real world” and “social media addicted”. A majority of Gen Z is overwhelmed by the constant distress of being chronically online. But as a solution to this problem, many teenagers and young adults are turning to habits and hobbies that offer a connection to the physical world, instead of a virtual one.
The shift from real world connections to an online world was pushed by the event of COVID-19. The pandemic that hit our world in the early 2020’s forced Generation Z to live partially online. The everyday responsibilities, such as school and work, and other everyday activities, like shopping and working out were all shifted toward digital platforms. This change in our society eventually affected our reality. Having to socialize, and essentially survive through a screen, was soon to become an ingrained habit, and Gen Z was the main target. To constantly be online was suddenly turning into a detrimental lifestyle for many teenagers and young adults of my generation.
Eventually, being reduced to a “label” gets to be exhausting. Our generation is more than just “out of touch”, and I think as a whole we have decided to show that we are worth more and want change. We didn’t choose to live in this digital world, but we are choosing to unplug from it. The resurgence of “retro” hobbies is just one way we are finding a connection between ourselves and reality.
By just taking a brief peek into a room of Gen Z teenagers, one will quickly find the return of retro digital cameras and classic board and card games. The return of these retro hobbies allows for a break away from the constant overstimulation, distractions, and isolation that technology brings for many in our generation. The era we have grown up in and always known includes being consumed by constant scrolling, notifications, and having the ability to conveniently reach in your pocket for a distraction. Now, our generation is longing for a distraction from the distraction.
Modern technology and social media have transformed society into a stressful, fast paced world. Retro activities such as card games force us to sit still and slow down. We have to strategize on our own and wait our turn. Card games give Gen Z a feeling of life that social media takes away from us. These old-school hobbies offer an in-the-moment experience that a screen can’t replace.
I think a lot of my generation yearns for the times when a moment could be captured by a candid picture, rather than a staged moment. A digital camera only allows for one thing, a singular captured memory, whereas a phone screen leads from one thing to another.
The biggest takeaway from retro hobbies is the ability to be in the moment and build connections. There is nothing that my generation wants more than a genuine connection. Board games and card games demand our full physical attention. Retro technology and hobbies in general, feel like a breath of fresh air.
The next time you find yourself in a room of Gen Z teenagers taking digital camera pictures and playing a card game, stop and think about why. We are all so much more than “out of touch with the real world” and “addicted to social media.” In reality, we really are a generation of young people exhausted from technology and trying to find ways to unplug from all of the distractions.