At the beginning of 2026, many people were making it their goal to go analog this year in order to break the hold that social media and screens had on them. Some went back to flip phones, some made their phone as boring as possible by deleting apps and switching to black and white screen. Others created baskets and bags filled with all their offline hobbies and created lists of ways to get out of the house. It seemed like lots of people followed this trend, at least for a couple of months. While there is still a push to get away from high screen time numbers, it seems like the every-day IPhone user has pressed “Ignore limit” probably hundreds of times and scrolls just as often as they used to.

The reason this trend came in so hard to start was because everyone was tired of letting their life slip away because of scrolling short form content for hours on end. Sure, some people used this as just another trend to post about, but it seemed as if there was a real community of people who were serious about changing their lives. There still might be, but the online presence of analog hobbies has certainly become less prevalent. The truth of this may just be that influencers can only post so many videos with the same idea.

As summer approaches, it’s important to remember the reasons this became a trend in the first place. Especially because of the early 2026 trend, there are thousands of videos online, both in short and long form content, giving ideas of things to do to stay offline. With summer often being known for its lack of schedule, it’s important to do things that let you be creative and have fun instead of feeling like you’re wasting your time. By doing engaging activities, you’re actually more likely to feel more energized and motivated than if you “rested” in bed all day.

Along with finding hobbies, kids should be encouraged to go hang out with their friends. Often, “I’m busy,” means “I don’t want to get out of bed.” This can create a dangerous 3 months of loneliness and isolation that isn’t fun. Back before social media, kids looked forward to summer because they could do practically anything they wanted with friends, family, or just by themselves. This created both exciting and memorable summers for those who got to experience it.

This summer, do all the aesthetic, offline things. Get a polaroid camera and take cute pictures. Make a summer bucket list with your best friend. Learn a new hobby or work on advancing a skill you already have. Be outside. Summer will pass one way another, and it’s to you to make it fun.