Logo for The Offline Club
How would you feel about not having your phone for two hours straight? The Offline Club is an organization that gives people a break from their ever-encapsulating devices, exposing people to live music, performances and relaxing activities that return them to their own bodies and help them reconnect with real-life people.
The club, started by 3 Dutch men in Amsterdam, is a phone-free event where individuals will paint, talk, read, journal, write or just hang out for two hours.
Ben Hounesel, the community leader of the London chapter, says “90 percent of the people who come are female, and from ages 25 to 50”. He goes on to say that there are virtually zero Gen Z or Gen Alpha participants, as they seem to have weaker personal connections and are typically more addicted to their phones.
While there isn’t currently a U.S. Chapter of the club, the initiative can be emulated. Spending time away from technology has positive impacts that have been already been proven. It is common to spend time online, but if we can reconnect with art and each other, people will be able to understand one another, and most importantly, themselves.
