A Month Without a Phone? “Honestly, It’s a Relief”

When Henry A. arrived for his final summer as a Kabeyun camper, he left behind something most 15 year-olds consider a necessity: his phone. For four weeks in the Owls cabin, he – like all Kabeyun campers – had no technology. No Snapchat, no Tik-Tok, no scroll.

And his reaction? Relief.

That’s the word Henry used during a casual lunch conversation with Laura Remington at camp last August. In Henry’s mind, a break from technology wasn’t something he had to “endure” or “survive.” Rather, a month without the quiet, constant pull of his device was something he really enjoyed.

A few months after camp ended, Laura asked Henry to share more about what it’s like as a teen at a tech-free camp.

You used the word “relief” when I asked about being without your phone at camp, and that surprised me! Why do you feel relief?

A lot of the time when I’m on my phone, I don’t actually want to be on it. I’m just so attached to it that whenever there’s a space to fill, I use my phone to fill it. At camp, I didn’t have my phone there to distract me. In the moments where there wasn’t anything to do, I would just sit with myself, or read, or find something else to do. It was also nice not to feel obligated to respond to anyone. I felt free, like I could just live my life without always needing to text somebody back.

Do you think not having technology at camp changes how you connect with people here?

Definitely. Here at home, if I meet somebody, I’ll text them and get to know them over the screen. But you can’t hear the tone in their voice, or see their face to know what they might be thinking. At camp, you’re getting to know somebody in person – who they really are, not who you perceive them to be over a screen.

Even beyond that, when I’m with my friends at home, we’re all have our phones. At camp, when something gets awkward, you can’t go right for your phone. You have to keep talking or just sit in the silence.

Yes! I hadn’t thought of that exactly, but there are a lot of moments of being a human that are awkward! At camp, you can’t escape into your phone when that happens.

Right. At camp, you have to fill the silence. Or just be with it, and remember silence doesn’t have to be awkward. That’s definitely something you learn at camp.

Do you think there are any mental health impacts that come from detaching from your phone for a month?

For me, it really increased my attention span. At home, I can’t even watch a movie without getting distracted and wanting something new. But at camp without my phone, I was able to focus on one thing for a while — even something I wasn’t super passionate about — because I didn’t feel like I needed constant stimulation. I actually wrote about this in English class recently. The assignment was to describe one way you could improve your mental health, and I wrote about wanting to pick up a book instead of my phone.

I also think it can lead to more creativity. Because in those moments you might go on your phone if you were home, you’ll do something different. Maybe you’ll draw or write a song or just express yourself in different ways.

If you were talking to a kid who was nervous about coming to camp without his technology, what would you tell him or his parents?

I’d say that whatever they normally do — play video games, be on their phone — they’re going to find other things to fill that space. They’ll find something new that genuinely interests them. Maybe they’ll start sailing, or hiking, or rock climbing. Something they wouldn’t have tried because they were too busy on their phone.

Any other thoughts for parents who are on the fence about sending their kid somewhere without technology?

Well, if somebody is really worried about not being able to talk with their kids, I’d say remember you can send letters. I think letters are actually a great way to stay connected. You can get all your thoughts out — it doesn’t have to be a quick, short-form conversation like a text. You can take your time and really say what you want to say.

Henry A. spent four summers as a Kabeyun camper who loved rock climbing, hiking, and writing and performing music. We thank him for sharing his perspective. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.