Bzzz, Bzzz. Ring, ring.
The noise that brings us back to reach our phones and forget about the people around us.
It has become the norm to hold a digital device in the palm of our hands wherever we go. A piece of technology that seemed impossible to create years ago is now part of our everyday routine.
But there is a solution to this problem. Putting a time limit on our phones that reminds us to put our screens away can help reduce the desire to look at any distracting apps.
March 7 is National Unplugging Day, which encourages people to put any device away for the day and be present in the moment.
Pierce College should host an event to help students come together to enjoy a day where everyone connects and spends time getting to know each other better. Having a table of games, crafts, music, and food can increase attraction and bring more people to interact for the day. There can be a table where students can put their phones into a box and get them back after the event is over, helping each person to focus solely on the moment.
College students are one of the groups that have to rely on technology to get through classes, from turning in work to doing group projects and communicating with peers.
According to an article by Science Daily, students who attend in-person classes still aren’t fully focused when it comes to paying attention. They state in their research, “Students acknowledged the costs of monitoring digital devices instead of their professors: They admitted they don’t pay attention, miss instruction, that their grades may suffer and they can be called out by their professors.”
However, even if that student is suffering or has trouble concentrating in class, they still don’t mind as long as they have their phone on hand and can go on any social media app.
Spending time online for a certain amount of hours every day can have bad side effects on students.
Stanford Lifestyle Medicine explains in their article that when a person wakes up first thing in the morning and reaches for their phone every day it can mess up with their fight or flight response. Not only is their brain getting used to seeing the screen first thing in the morning, it can also add an intense amount of eye strain and neck pain. Their cerebral cortex can also suffer the consequences as it begins to thin when it is responsible for processing information.
Activities such as exercising, being outdoors, meeting new people, going to events and volunteering can help distract the need to be on our phones. Setting aside time for ourselves can help improve our physical and mental health.
As an article by Wellbeing explains, “Mindfulness practices help reduce stress, increase gratitude, and enhance overall life satisfaction”
An unplugging event could be a reminder to take time to feel connected with the world around us, without the need for a screen.