I’ve faced a lot of network issues in the past, but I think the worst experience I had was back in my third year at the university. I still remember that day vividly because of how frustrating it was for me.
I’m the kind of person who is almost always on my phone—except when I’m in class listening to lectures or on the field playing football with my friends. My phone is my go-to for everything: social media, reading articles, chatting, or even just scrolling aimlessly to pass the time. So, you can imagine how bad it felt when there was absolutely no signal on my phone that day.
At first, I thought it was a small issue on my end, or maybe something to do with my MTN network provider. I decided to try some quick fixes. First, I switched on airplane mode and then turned it off again, thinking it would reset the network connection. But nothing changed. The bars were still completely blank and it wasn't still showing any singal. I felt it was just a normal thing so I wasn’t too worried at first because I thought restarting my phone might fix the problem, so i turned it off and back on again. Still, nothing.
That was when I begin to get frustrated. I checked with a few people around, and soon enough, I realized I wasn’t the only one. Everyone including those who were using a different network provider in my hostel were experiencing the same issue. The network outage was general, and the realization hit me so deep because there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.
That particular moment turned out to be one of the most annoying days of my life. I couldn’t scroll through social media, reply to any messages, or even do anything at all online. It felt like a part of me was missing because I’m so used to being connected all the time. To pass the time, I ended up playing some games on my phone—games I rarely even think of opening on a normal day. It was something, but it didn’t really help that much.
The whole situation forced me to find other ways to stay occupied. Since we were all going through the same thing, my roommates and I decided to make the most of the situation. We sat together and started gisting about random things—school drama, funny memories, girls and just about anything that came to mind. It was actually fun to talk and laugh without being interrupted by notifications or the urge to constantly check our phones.
At some point, one of us even brought out a music box, and we took turns with playing some of the downloaded songs on our phones. That part of the evening was pretty much enjoyable. We even started singing along to some of the tracks, we danced, make jokes, and even hype each other up. For a moment, it felt like we were back in our normal time, before everyone became so addicted to their phones.
Eventually, the time passed, and we all went to sleep. Looking back, I realize that as much as I hated that day for the network blackout, it also gave me the opportunity to connect with my roommates on a deeper level. It also reminded me that sometimes, stepping away from the internet—even if it’s forced—can lead to meaningful moments.
Still, I wouldn’t want to go through that experience again. It was a tough day, and I hope I never have to deal with such a long network outage anytime soon.
Thanks for reading.
image is from Meta Ai.
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I know it's a big time mess up to stay without internet connection but somehow, it helps people to feel the olden days of life where people were more connected to people and environment and not the phone thing
Yeah you actually get the point. We are actually so locked up with our phone this days that we even sometimes deprive ourselves of some fun and enjoyable experience. Thanks for stopping by bro.
When the general network outsge thing happened, i spent my day watching football or sleeping. It was frustrating but i needed that time off.
Yeah it was really helpful but then no one wants to experience the same thing again. Thanks for stopping by .
Hmm, it's usually frustrating. I know how it feels.
Yeah I am glad you know how it feels.