Issue 13 – CTRL+ALT+DEL
(But the Files Still Remain)
I couldn’t help but wonder…
Is there anything more thrilling than a reboot?
A new flat, a new age, a new job, a new crush — suddenly, life feels like a fresh login screen. Like Carrie stepping out in a new pair of Manolos, we tell ourselves: this is it, the reset button I’ve been waiting for.
Moving boxes become metaphors. A haircut feels like a personality transplant. Even buying new sheets feels like proof you’ve finally got it together. (Until you spill your camomile tea on them two days later.)
The city loves a reboot. We don’t just move — we “enter our Moving Era.” We don’t just join the gym — we’re “becoming That Girl.” We don’t just start a new job — we post a LinkedIn essay about “exciting next chapters.”
And honestly? It works. Because for a moment, it feels like the upgrade is real. Like the pop-up notification of “new iOS installed” actually changed who we are, instead of just giving us a shinier home screen.
But here’s the catch: the files remain. Your old heartbreaks, your quirks, your habit of texting “Hope you have a good day!” when they haven’t replied for 2 hours, it’s all still there, neatly saved in your emotional hard drive. A new neighbourhood won’t stop you from still bumping into a hook up at the Tesco Express. A new era won’t stop you from doomscrolling Hinge when you swore you were done with it.
And that’s okay. Because rebooting isn’t about erasing — it’s about remixing.
Think of it like TV. Sex and the City ended, but then came And Just Like That — older, a little glossier, sometimes messy, but still fabulous. A reboot isn’t the death of the original. It’s proof that the story keeps evolving.
Maybe that’s us too. We don’t need to become unrecognisable. We just need a new plot twist, a few updated storylines, and a stronger sense of direction (and faster Wi-Fi).
So here I am: 29, moving, reshuffling, rebooting. Still me — same files, same glitches, same saved game. But with a little more sparkle, a little more hope, and a few better outfits.
Because sometimes CTRL+ALT+DEL isn’t about starting over. It’s about remembering you’re the main character in the next season.
And just like that… the reboot is fabulous.