Young Adults Seek 'Phone-Free' Experiences to Reclaim Authentic Social Interaction

A growing number of young people are actively searching for ways to disconnect from their smartphones, driven by concerns over excessive screen time and the constant allure of digital engagement. Kamryn McPhaul, a recent graduate, realized a third of her waking hours were spent on her phone, seeking the "cheap hits of dopamine" from short videos. She has since deleted social media apps and embraced offline activities. This individual quest reflects a broader societal trend, as evidenced by a 567% global increase in phone-free experiences reported by Eventbrite in 2024 and 2025. In Chicago, this movement manifests in various forms, including creative venues that require devices to be stored in bags or locked boxes, and phone-free raves. Many of these events are organized by young adults who grew up with constant digital connectivity. "Some people want to let loose and be free and they don’t want to be filmed while they’re doing that," said Samantha Boehlen, an event producer involved in organizing phone-free dance parties. The desire is to recapture a sense of unmediated social interaction, reminiscent of how previous generations connected. Olivia Gork, who founded the agency Saturnalia with business partner Chinaecherem Nwaubani, dreamed of dance floors where "phones inherently stood in the way of the experience." She questioned whether people were "just capturing the moments or were we living them?" Their agency aims to create "otherworldly phone free(dom) gatherings," seeking to foster genuine connection away from the pressures of the online world.

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