Admit it: you’re addicted to your smartphone. Think about the last time you went more than one hour without checking your notifications (no, the time you spent sleeping doesn’t count). It’s not uncommon to see someone glued to a hand-size screen while waiting for the T, standing in the dining hall line, passing the time before the professor shows up to class, or eating a meal with friends. Smartphones have brought an incredible level of social connectedness, but these devices are ironically stripping us away from even the most basic human interactions.
I challenge you to give your smartphone a break!
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At the dinner table, have everyone place their phones in a pile to the side. The first person to break under smartphone withdrawals has to pay for the whole meal (or some other agreed-upon consequence).
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Leave your phone behind when you head to class. Not only will this test your ability to part with your precious device, it will also eliminate your ability to check Instagram during dull moments in class. You’ll pay more attention in the long run, which your GPA will appreciate.
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Go to your phone’s settings and block all notifications except incoming calls for 24 hours. You’ll be less tempted to look at your phone if it only buzzes when Mom’s calling to check in. Hopefully you’ll realize just how time consuming sifting through various social media apps truly is.
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You’re sitting in class, waiting for the professor to show up. Looking around the room, you can estimate that a good 90% of the class is staring at their phones. Instead of falling victim to the safety of your phone, leave it in your backpack. Strike up a conversation with the cute guy or girl next to you.
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Leave your phone at home and go for a walk by yourself for at least 10 minutes. You’ll be amazed at how much you’ve overlooked. Appreciate the awesome ancient trees on campus, play with the adorable puppies that townies let run free on the academic quad, read all the signs and ads that adorn the Tisch steps, and truly begin to appreciate the aesthetics of Tufts.
As a survivor of these five challenges, I can assure you that parting with your phone is not as hard as it seems. Once you get in the habit of looking up once in a while, you’ll realize just how much you’re missing out.