Shuyi Jin

No Phone, No Problem

My First-Year Trip was a wonderful experience that gave me some close friends and some great memories. I can go on and on about going electrofishing, bonding through pranks, or taking a freezing dip in the river. Instead of talking about all those amazing adventures (which you'll just have to experience for yourself), what I'm going to talk about instead is how I survived four whole days without my phone, or any form of communication with the outside world.

Preparing for my trip, I collected a list of essential items, from sleeping bags to non-cotton clothing. My hardest decision, however, was not what to bring, but rather what I should do with my Snapchat streaks. Eventually, I made the decision to let them go. New school, new me, right? I told my friends that I would be gone for a few days and left my phone behind as I took a bus up to the Second College Grant with my trippees and trip leaders. I was prepared to miss my phone and social media, but as my trip began, I discovered all the perks of life without phones. 

After we got off the bus, we had to take a quick hike to get to our cabin. We played silly bonding games on our way, games which I would have probably not participated in if I had my phone to distract me. With no texts or social medias to browse, I spent almost all of the day getting to know my trippees and trip leaders better, as we joked around and talked about our lives.

Best of all, I got to know everyone in my trip organically, discovering everyone's personalities and interests without being influenced by what their Instagram profile looked like or what their Snapchat score was (although one of my trippees did flex a 700,000+ score). My First-Year Trip was amazing for so many reasons, but what I loved most about the experience was how refreshing it was to spend a few days without the outside world. Suddenly, I had no responsibilities, except to connect with and bond with these amazing Dartmouth students I soon called my friends. The friendships I made during my trip felt different from the typical four-day friendships. They were stronger and more real, and I definitely felt like I knew these people for more than a few days.

Back on campus, it always brings a smile to my face when I see one of my trippees or trip leaders. I get the feeling of seeing an old friend, and it's always cool to see what everyone's up to. We remain a close group, and even all reunited last week to have dinner (as many trips do). My adventure into the outdoors with some of the nicest people I have met introduced me to Dartmouth, and I haven't looked back since!