Oh, phones. What an absolutely integral part of our lives they’ve become. It’s crazy how fast that happened, right? Now, I can’t even imagine going a single day without my phone. Total addiction — and yeah, it comes with its pros and cons, but that’s not what this post is about. This one’s just a little walk down memory lane with the phones that have been mine over the years.
So far, I’ve had three personal phones. Of course, before I got my first one, I used to borrow my parents’ phones all the time, mostly my mom’s. Her phone was basically my phone. I used it for everything, especially to watch YouTube and occasionally message my friends (not that we needed to, we literally met in school every day).
My First Phone
My First Phone
Xiaomi Redmi 4A
Xiaomi Redmi 4A
I got my first phone right after finishing my grade 10 exams — May 2016, to be precise. I had seen this phone’s ad on TV and decided, “Yep, I want that one.” And luckily, my mom already knew the deal — it was kind of an unspoken rule that I’d get a phone once school ended.
All my friends had theirs by then, and while I was okay without one for a long time (thanks to full-time access to my mom’s phone), getting my own phone felt like a rite of passage. We even got a SIM card the same day and fun fact (which I realised I was drafting this post), I’m still using the same number, 9 years later! 🥹
That phone wasn’t anything fancy — low storage, average camera — but it was mine and that’s all that mattered. I got it in the rose gold coulred and it was so pretty! I was obsessed. It was vacation time and I was glued to it, waiting for results and just… enjoying the newness of having my very own device.
Phone #2 – The Accidental Upgrade
Phone #2 – The Accidental Upgrade
Redmi Note 8 Pro
Redmi Note 8 Pro
I would’ve used that first phone even longer if it hadn’t been for my mom (yes, you read that right). One day, I let her use it for something, and while she was out on a playground, she accidentally dropped it onto a stone, screen-first. The cracks made it nearly unusable, though I still pushed through and used it for a month (I had an unhealthy attachment to it) before we gave in and bought a new one.
That second phone came just as I was starting university. Engineering life had begun, and so had a new era of phone memories. I loved that phone. It was solid — good performance, great battery, and all my chaos was stored in it: photos, notes, poetry drafts, you name it.
Even though I replaced it 1.5 years ago, I still have it. Could’ve sold it, sure, but what would I even get for it? Pennies. And anyway, it holds too many memories to part with it so easily. You see what I mean by unhealthy attachment? I will probably have a collection of phones by the time I'm 70.
Phone #3 – The One I Bought Myself
Phone #3 – The One I Bought Myself
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Motorola G54
Motorola G54
I didn’t need a new phone. But I had just started my job, was getting my own salary, and felt like treating myself. So in December 2023, I bought my current phone. My first real “big” purchase using my money. I bought it on EMI (monthly installments), but hey, I was still super proud. This phone is special. Not the fanciest out there, but it’s the best in terms of specs compared to my older ones. A solid mid-budget phone, for my very mid-budget salary 😅.
Funny Story. Ramesh (
Side story - He made it up to me in the most interesting way possible. A few months after this fiasco, he bought an iPhone for himself and gave it to me to unbox! Such a cutie.
Anyways, coming back to my phone story, when we next met he gave me the phone ensuring that it was still in it's box with the covers and all, to give me a chance to re-unbox it. And I’ve been using it since. It’s not perfect — I mean, no phone is. But this one has its own quirks.
One of the major annoyances? I don’t get WhatsApp notifications sometimes. Sometimes I do, sometimes I dont. Why you ask? That's a mystery I haven't been able to solve. I’ve triple-checked, notifications are on. But unless I open the app, I don’t see any messages. This has caused a few problems here and there, not gonna lie.
Ramesh, by the way, hates this phone. He was one of the people I asked for advice before buying, and I ended up going with a different suggestion. Since then, it’s been a running joke between us. He blames everything on this phone. Every time something glitches, he’s like, “Told you so.” I’ve even dropped the phone a couple of times (nothing serious), and every time I do, he goes “yes!!” — waiting for the phone to finally give up. 😂
But you know what? Despite the flaws, I love this phone. Because it’s mine. Because of what it represents. And because, just like every phone before it, it’s a little container of memories.