All of you, well maybe those of you born before 1990, remember using the iPod in the 2000s. Whether you were walking to work, sitting in a café, or even shopping, everyone seemed to have one in hand. Despite only being 4-inches tall, that bulky block of stainless steel was a revolutionary device that changed how people purchased and listened to their favorite hits.

While rummaging through storage boxes I came across my dad’s old box of technology, that for some reason, he insists on keeping. Inside, beneath old camera equipment and chargers, I found two of his iPod’s.  

This year, I wanted to find new ways to limit my screen time, and I realized when I’m listening to music, I often end up scrolling on social media. So, I decided to give my dad’s iPod from 2008 a chance to help me break this habit. 

After many hours of charging, the screen finally lit up with the Apple logo. Despite my enthusiasm to use the device, I was quickly humbled by the unfamiliar buttons, but after a few YouTube tutorials, I was ready to start listening.

I first noticed how much louder wired headphones were compared to the Apple AirPods Max headphones I use daily. I also loved how the iPod didn’t read notifications to me. It especially kept me focused while studying because I could keep my phone out of reach while still listening to music. Despite the thousands of songs available on the iPod, I had only heard of a few of them. I realized almost all the artists I listen to now weren’t around at the same time as the iPod. Meaning there were only a handful of artists I had ever heard of. I ended up listening to a lot of Billy Joel and Coldplay. 

It definitely felt weird using an iPod in public; it felt like I was breaking some sort of unwritten rule. While studying at Starbucks, some older people looked intrigued yet confused. Many of them, having not seen anyone use an iPod in 15+ years, wondered why I had one in my hands when I could simply just use my phone.

I found, after a week of using an iPod, I was able to complete my homework much earlier than before now that social media wasn’t derailing my focus. 

The iPod gave me the opportunity to detach myself from social media while still being able to keep music in my study routine. It’s a great way to take a step back from the addictive algorithms and focus on yourself in the moment. 

If you do plan purchasing an iPod, I would first recommend asking your parents or grandparents if they own one–to save money–if not, look for verified retailers. Since Apple no longer manufactures them it’s likely you will end up buying a refurbished or used one.

When deciding which iPod is best for you, it’s important to consider the difficulty of service and the storage capacity. iPods such as the Nano are not very user-friendly because they often require a professional to replace the batteries. Instead, I would recommend the iPod mini because its battery can easily be replaced at home, and it contains more storage space.

What originally started as a goal of limiting screen time ended up being a wakeup call that not every piece of technology that we own needs to be smart. Society is so focused on purchasing the newest thing that we forgot a device from 2008 could be the most effective way to be present in 2025.