What I Didn't Need to Carry | Owen Qin | TEDxArbutus Ridge Youth

Owen Qin, a Grade 10 student, reflects on two weeks without a smartphone during a school camping trip. He describes how stepping away from digital distractions helped him reconnect with people and feel more present in daily life. The talk questions which everyday habits people actually choose and which they simply inherit from their environment. He explains that he chose a flip phone in 2026 and looks at how surroundings shape habits, attention and decisions. His aim is to encourage viewers to consider which habits they want to keep and which they are willing to leave behind.

• A two-week period without a smartphone on a school camping trip
• How changing one's environment can affect habits and attention
• Choosing a flip phone in 2026
• Reflecting on which everyday habits are chosen and which are inherited

“Sometimes changing your environment can be more powerful than constantly fighting against it.” Through his experience of spending two weeks without a smartphone on a school camping trip, Owen Qin explores how stepping away from digital distractions helped him rediscover meaningful connections and become more present in everyday life. As he reflects, “The point is that we grow up surrounded by habits that feel normal, and sometimes we never stop to ask whether we actually chose them.” Owen is a Grade 10 student interested in economics, entrepreneurship, and how technology shapes everyday life. In his TEDx talk, he shares his experience of choosing a flip phone in 2026 and explores how our environment can influence our habits, attention, and choices. He hopes to encourage others to think more carefully about which habits they want to keep and which ones they are willing to leave behind. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx