Gen Zers Are Attending Phone-Free Parties To Become More 'Socially Literate'
oneinchpunch | Shutterstock Gen Zers might be digital natives, but they are starting to get really sick of technology. In an effort to detox from screens, they are prioritizing phone-free entertainment, including parties that force them to socialize face-to-face.
Social skills are certainly not their forte, so prioritizing tech-free time with their friends and peers is essential, and these phone-free parties are a perfect avenue to do so. Screens have become a huge part of everyday life for young people, but now, Gen Z adults are willingly putting their devices away and actually enjoying a night out.
Gen Zers are attending phone-free parties to become more 'socially literate.'
The phone-free party trend was first brought to light after The Washington Post shared a story about students at NYU who were ditching their phones in an effort to start socializing at parties more. They were hoping to encourage a student-led culture change that involved spending less time online and more time just living life.
The article noted, "Instead of the socializing that American college culture is known for, many students walk around campus looking down at their phones, scroll through elevator rides, and sit in classrooms glued to their laptops." School leaders wanted to change that. They offered students options to start slowly, introducing the idea of using devices more consciously and promoting a 30-day phone breakup plan. But students decided to take it a step further and create phone-free activities that impacted their social lives.
"At the gate, guests slipped their phones into little cloth bags, putting them away for the evening. More than 200 students from New York University gathered at a table nearly as long as the city block. It was cold, but they leaned in to talk with strangers, laughing and trading stories," The Washington Post reported.
Most Gen Z adults admit to having an unhealthy relationship with their phones.
According to a 2024 Digital Wellness Report from BePresent, 83% of Gen Z admitted they have an unhealthy relationship with their phones, significantly higher than any other generation. The report found that 80% of people spend three or more hours on their phones each day
A whopping 40% of users said they spend five or more hours on their phones, and 20% spend seven hours or more daily. The average screen time among all respondents was five hours a day. For Gen Z in particular, 20% reported spending over 8 hours on their phones daily, double the rate of any other generation.
Excessively being on their phones is causing Gen Z to deal with many mental health challenges, including losing sleep due to phone use and having increased anxiety. But more than that, Gen Z reported fewer social interactions because of all that time looking at their phones.
Gen Z is starting to prioritize face-to-face interactions.
CarlosBarquero | Shutterstock
The start of these phone-free parties is just another step that Gen Z adults are taking to ensure they're spending more time having genuine interactions with their peers. At least 85% of Gen Z admit they spend too much time online, and over alf of Gen Z (54%) strongly agree “in-person relationships are more valuable than digital relationships.
There's something inherently enjoyable about being able to attend a party or any other kind of social event where you notice people aren't just nose-deep in their phones. It allows for more meaningful conversations to happen and actually getting to interact and make new friends, which is always tough to do in adulthood. Without the distraction of phones, it means people can actually start having fun again when going out.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
