No Mo’ Nomophobia
by Dan Maher, Sustainabilia
Dad Vail Regata – May 10 – 11th
This year, on the 81st anniversary of the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta, the largest collegiate regatta in North America, thousands of spectators will gather to watch thousands of student athletes on hundreds of rowing teams compete in the biggest event of its kind.
There will be food and drink, and unfortunately, a whole lot of nomophobia.
But thankfully, not as much as last year, because Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta organizers will be better prepared for the inevitable.
Nomo what? you say. Nomophobia, the proposed name for the fear of being out of cellular phone contact, is an abbreviation for “no-mobile-phone phobia”, a term coined by European researchers tasked with conducting a study of specific anxieties suffered by mobile phone users.
According to these researchers, the condition is triggered by a fear of losing cellphone access, which includes running out of battery charge.
Most of the over 2000 people surveyed for the study cited the perceived need to stay in constant contact with friends or family as the main reason that they got anxious when they could not use their mobile phones.
And the levels of stress reportedly experienced are significant; on par with the kind of stress people experience on their wedding day, and when going to the dentist.
None of which should come as a surprise to anyone who has ever had a cellphone battery die when without the ways and means to recharge it.
For better or worse, when our phones’ batteries die, many of us immediately start thinking about going wherever we have to to get our next charge.
And if we happen to be at an outdoor event where no phone charging stations are available, that can translate into a significant number of attendees being distracted from fuller participation in goings on, spending and enjoying themselves less, and leaving early for no other reason.
Worse, some outdoor event organizers think there is nothing that can be done to alleviate their guests’ nomophobia until phone batteries can be made to last long enough to eliminate it altogether (unlikely).
Until then, those suffering the affliction are presumable expected to simply put up with it.
ROWING AGAINST THE FLOW
Luckily, event organizers for the 81st Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta found a cure for outdoor event-induced nomophobia.
That is why when attendees visit the vendor area on race days they will find two of Sunbolt’s Dash charging stations available there for free use.
These stand-alone off-grid solar-powered powder coated structural steel micro powerhouses will help keep Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta attendees constantly connected via six high-speed USB charging ports.
The result: Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta attendees will stay focused on rowing, and not on ‘My phone is dying. We need to get going’.
Check out Sunbolt’s Dash solar phone chargers May 10th/11th at the 2019 Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia.
2 Dash Units will be on site near the vendor area – providing spectators and participants a way to charge their phones. Cords will be provided.
Look for Sunbolt representatives in blue shirts to also be handing out Rally Towels to cheer on the competitors – or stop by the Sunbolt tent.
Take a photo of yourself at a Sunbolt Dash charging station and score a free water bottle when you share it on social using the hashtag #gosunbolt and tagging Sunbolt @gosunbolt.
Find out more about the Sunbolt Dash and other Sunbolt products here.
For more information about visit the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta.
Dr. RJ Daniel Maher is a father, writer, researcher, and sustainable business owner.
