Charlotte Purkiss ’29
Staff Writer
There has been a widespread decline in fun and a major increase in stress, anxiety and depression through the last few years. As a society we all suffer to break free from what we deem as important – things like work and appearance. But why did we stop doing little things to make our days better? And why did we stop having fun?
Our smartphones are the main culprits for our unhappiness as a society. As humans we rely heavily on connection with other people, but we often mistake online interaction for connection. Real life interactions and connections trigger an oxytocin release in our brains that helps combat stress and loneliness. When we replace these with virtual interactions we miss out on that, although we may be literally connected online it only increases feelings of isolation. The decline in fun also goes beyond connection, we constantly compare our lives to others’ when we are online. It is not normal to be exposed to so many people and to have to look at yourself constantly – something that has become extremely normalized today. Comparison kills joy. We all care so much about what other people think now that we let it affect what we look like, what we wear, and how we behave. The virtual world has made us believe that everything has to be perfect.
Fun has become rare, scheduled, and performative. FOMO has consumed people’s thought process. When you look around a restaurant it is rare to see tables of people roaring with laughter without a screen in sight. Our world has become quiet, everyone is always looking down at their phone or has their headphones in. When did curiosity die? Why did we stop trying new things? People feel the need to be good at things the second they start them and feel as thought they have to understand everything immediately. Don’t get me wrong, it is always fun to go out with your friends on a saturday night or celebrate occasions like birthdays. But let’s learn to put our phones away and embrace the present moment with the people around us more often than just on a Saturday night.
Here are some ways to incorporate more fun into your everyday life:
Start saying yes! Just start saying yes to plans even if they push you out of your comfort zone. This helps you try new things and create new connections with people. This can help create new hobbies too! Invite friends for dinner, take a dance lesson.
Allow yourself to fail – Stop expecting perfection all the time, it is killing your fun! Be kind to yourself and use failure as a constructive tool.
Get off your phone! – It is only killing your fun. Play board games with your friends or even just observe what’s around you.
Be curious – Allow your inner child to take over. Children have more fun than adults because they stay curious about the world around them.
Go for a walk – We spend so much time inside that the fresh air is definitely needed. Get some Vitamin C, it is good for you!
Try new hobbies – things like baking, running, crafts, and going for hikes!
Featured image courtesy of StockCake
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