Endless scrolling through negative news, scheduled snacking breaks, and constant group chat engagement: A teenager explains why she finds it hard to detach from her mobile device
Relinquishing our mobile devices during classes is a mandatory school policy, and my instructors frequently remind us of this at the commencement of each academic year. However, more often than not, they tend to overlook this rule by the third period on the initial day, seldom bringing it up again until the second day of school. This year, though, the policy has been strictly enforced from day one, continuing until now.
I inquired from my Latin teacher as to why our school was becoming so stringent regarding mobile phones. It appears that during the summer, the majority of our teachers had read social psychologist Jonathan Haidt's book titled "The Frustrated Youth: How the Modern Alteration of Childhood Is Causing a Spike in Mental Health Issues."
Haidt, a distinguished scholar in the field of ethical leadership at New York University Stern School of Business, suggests that a mobile-centric upbringing leads to emotionally unhealthy youngsters who are unprepared for adult life. This notion has left our teachers quite troubled, as they are now diligent in restricting the use of mobile devices.
This isn't exclusive to my school. According to research conducted by the Pew Research Center, which was published in April, 72% of public high school teachers in the United States acknowledge that mobile phone disruption among their students is a significant issue. The same report indicates that 60% of teachers in these schools struggle to implement existing cell phone policies due to their complexity.
Several states have initiated legislation to limit the use of mobile phones in schools, with California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, recently signing legislation compelling school districts to regulate mobile phone use. Among the 20 most prominent school districts in the country, at least 7 have either banned mobile phones during school hours or plan to do so soon.
Similar actions are being taken globally. In England, numerous schools have adopted a 'phone-free' policy, and the entire Greek educational system now requires students to keep their mobile phones in their bags during lessons, as stated by a February press release from the U.K.'s Department for Education.
My teachers and other experts are not misguided in their assessment of the impact of smartphones on adolescents. Mobile devices contribute to unhappiness, and I appreciate my school's efforts to tackle this issue. Despite my desire to part with my mobile phone, the intricate way our education, work, sports, extracurricular activities, and social lives are organized makes this impractical. Even locking away our phones for a class period is merely a small step towards resolving the issue.
I received my first smartphone when I was 13 years old and practically began doomscrolling as a reflex to boredom or discomfort. I would inevitably feel anxious, believing that I had squandered an excessive amount of time on meaningless scrolling. To escape this stress, I would resume doomscrolling, thereby becoming trapped in a vicious cycle. It is challenging not to compare my life with the immaculate posts of strangers on social media, and it is equally arduous to avoid self-judgment. In the last few years, I sometimes spent up to 6 hours a day engaged with screens.
After three years of using the app, I managed to delete TikTok during my sophomore year of high school, not because I was spending almost 5 hours on it some days, but because my friend refused to. For weeks, I continued to click on the TikTok icon and was redirected to the calculator. I found myself staring at the ceiling, unable to focus or entertain myself, as I also missed the opportunity to pass the time with mindless videos. After several weeks, however, I began to experience a significant improvement. I spent less time on screens and became more attuned to the real world, allowing me to explore new hobbies like sewing and painting.
However, I soon found myself captivated by Instagram reels. I comprehend that Instagram is detrimental for me. I often find myself thinking about possible photo opportunities, rather than focusing on the tasks at hand. And it's not just the gorgeous images, but the endless scrolling of gruesome car crashes or other disturbing content that is harmful to my mental health.
Many adults mistakenly believe that there is an effortless solution to my dilemma – get rid of your mobile phone! Delete Instagram!
However, I cannot eliminate my social media presence completely for several reasons. My school's Instagram page shares crucial updates and reminders. The student page posts various notifications for school events, sports activities, and other pertinent information.
Regarding my social life, it is customary for me to acknowledge other students' posts, similar to saying 'hi' across a hallway. As a teenager, Instagram plays a significant role in my high school experience.
Even if I were to abandon Instagram, I would still need a mobile device.
There are group chats for my homeroom to discuss snack schedules and organize theme days. Among my friends, we have group chats to discuss grades, trips, and event details. My previous employer utilized text messages to share the work schedule with employees, and I contacted colleagues to cover shifts or inform my supervisor of my absence. If I did not possess a mobile device, I would have likely lost my job.
My school is indeed tackling more than just mobile phone use. Previously, students had the option to choose between e-books or physical textbooks. This year, however, the school opted to provide us with physical textbooks (with a few exceptions). A teacher told us that studies suggest that students concentrate better with tangible books, another area of concern acknowledged by Haidt.
Despite some complaints about the load of our study books, this has been less of an issue for my classmates and me compared to the phone ban. However, seniors lack lockers, creating a challenge to store the new heavy textbooks. This additional barrier makes the transition to becoming phone-free more challenging for us. (Schools could address this issue.)
I often ponder about completely ditching my phone. Several of my peers have attempted this, but none have managed to fully succeed. In our contemporary society, at least for teens like me, a phone is essential for survival.
Interestingly, during the writing of this article, my editor requested that I examine Haidt's social media profile for further research. Guess where I did this? On my phone. Eliminating my phone for 50-minute classes is a step in the right direction, but it's not a long-term solution.
Breaking the phone addiction
What's the answer to our shared phone problem? I'm at a loss. I can hardly picture a phone-free high school experience.
I decided to ask my mom, who was the same age during an era without social media, about her experiences in high school. How did she and her friends communicate without a handheld computer? How did they stay informed about the themes for Homecoming Week's costumes?
She chuckled, shocked by my question, and explained that they created posters. It seems there were posters everywhere in the school, advertising club meetings, bake sales, and upcoming events. After school, clubs would gather to design the posters, using markers, glitter, and whatever else was available. It sounded like a lot of fun.
Perhaps revisiting the "old-school" methods could help offset the negative impact of phones in schools, like the return of physical textbooks by my school. Maybe physical posters in the hallways instead of social media posts could be a solution.
Part of the solution, perhaps, is to seek advice from the current adults who grew up phone-free.
In the interim, I've deactivated unnecessary apps like TikTok, limited my Instagram usage to 90 minutes a day, and removed both Instagram and Snapchat from my home screen. I still have access to these apps through the search bar, but the minor obstacle actually helps.
During sophomore year, my daily screen time averaged around six hours. Last week, it was reduced to 55 minutes a day, but without a more widespread solution, I'm unsure how much lower I can go.
The introduction of Haidt's book, "The Frustrated Youth," to our teachers has driven their focus on promoting wellness and health, aiming to prevent mental health issues among students caused by excessive mobile phone usage. This has resulted in a stricter enforcement of the mobile device policy in our school.
The Pew Research Center's report reveals that 72% of public high school teachers in the United States acknowledge mobile phone disruption as a significant issue, and 60% struggle to implement existing cell phone policies due to complexity.
[Original text continues]
