Beep boop beep…bzzt. Whether students recall these sounds from their parents dialing others when they were little or when they “played pretend” with a toy phone, they know that these mechanical noises are more than just the result of keys pressed on a flip phone. Rather, they possess the ability to “ring up” the past by bringing about childhood nostalgia. Their power to do so is one of the main reasons for their comeback at WCHS.
Many believe that the early 2000s were a significantly happier period of time. In those days, individuals would pick up a movie at Blockbuster to watch at home, listen to music using vinyl record players and call their friends with their bedazzled flip phones to meet up instead of using Netflix and Spotify or spending endless hours on a FaceTime call. Although present-time technological advancements can be convenient, the positive nostalgia of the early 2000s raises questions concerning whether there should be a threshold for advancements or a transition back to simplicity since joy has been continuously declining alongside the rise of depression.
“After seeing paparazzi pictures capturing celebrities like Paris Hilton with a genuine smile on her face while using a flip phone, my friends and I had to make the official switch from iPhone to flip phone,” WCHS junior Ellie Willis said. “It was either that or time-traveling back to the 2000s, but we thought it would just be a tiny bit complicated and tedious to engineer a machine for that reason. I already feel more at peace with myself as I’m not bombarded with notifications every second and if I feel the need to ‘lock in’ for school I can just throw it out of my sight without the worry of it breaking.”
Considering that the features of a traditional flip phone only consist of basic calling and texting capabilities and a camera to take pictures, users are ultimately forced to spend less time on a phone and only use it for necessary communication purposes. The absence of social media apps, web pages and games seems to be the dividing factor in making this move because some believe that the sacrifice is too big at hand.
“Social media has long been a topic of controversy in our generation, with some saying how teens nowadays are just fully addicted to it and others praising how it has allowed us to be better connected with others that may live far away,” Willis said. “I still use my computer to check social media, but I am not going to carry it around with me all day because my Stanley water bottle is already heavy enough. I guess, as a result, I am spending less time on it and more time with friends in person, but I will say that I still have been able to maintain my Snapchat streaks and have never missed a day in posting on my spam account on Instagram.”
Moreover, flip phones not only help foster better connections with each other but also a connection with one’s self, particularly one’s younger self.
“When I told my parents I was doing so, they were both quite visibly confused and excitedly surprised,” WCHS senior Olivia Brighton said. “My mom instantly showed me her personalized flip phone collection, adorned with jewels and stickers, that she never threw away. I think she was especially excited to see me enter this flip phone era because it is like witnessing her younger self live life in person.”
By transitioning back to flip phones, students are reminded of the very essence of communication: phones are meant to act as a useful tool for communication, not be the sole platform used to communicate. No matter what is next for a student, college, or work, many have expressed no shame by hopping on this trend and going against societal norms because they know they are finally able to fully “live in the present moment” and experience that 2000s joy everyone has been raving and in awe about.
“To those still debating whether to hop on the trend of using a flip phone, what are you waiting for!” Brighton said. “The resurgence of Y2K fashion such as low-rise jeans, mini skirts, and claw clips has already been so beneficial to our generation’s style and well-being, and this switch will only provide the same or possibly an even greater worthwhile impact.”
