By Hope Willert
It’s common knowledge that many Millennials and Gen Zers are addicted to their phones, and it often seems as though they are glued to them. There is no exception to this at Houghton University. During chapel, one can see students pulling out their phones and laptops to get some homework done or text some friends. While walking around in the dining hall, a group of students can be seen sitting together at a table; however, rather than talking with each other, they all have their heads down and phones out. This is a problem, and it isn’t going to go away unless we confront it.
While the American culture today requires college students to use their phones for many reasons, such as texting, calling, emailing, using social media, listening to music, watching videos, and several other things, one must wonder if these 18-22 year olds are going on their phones more than they really need to be and if the amount of time that they spend on their phones is detrimental to their relationships.
A recent study done at Baylor University found that Baylor students spend an average of eight to ten hours on their phones per day, with 60 percent of the students admitting that they may be addicted to their phones. The study also showed that the majority of this time is spent sending texts and emails, as well as scrolling through social media.
Such a large amount of cell phone use can be very detrimental to relationships, as students spend increasingly more time on their phones and less time interacting with each other in person. While it’s true that cell phones are often used as a distraction for students, whether from stressful relationships or from school, this can be taken too far. James Roberts, one of the main psychologists from this study, explained that cell phone use is a paradox in that it can be “both freeing and enslaving at the same time.” A certain amount of time spent scrolling on phones can be helpful to take one’s mind off of school work, however, it can very easily become an addiction. Roberts explained that “we need to identify the activities that push cell phone use from being a helpful tool to one that undermines our well-being and that of others.”
While there is no solution that will automatically solve this problem, there are several things that college students can do to counteract this issue. First of all, students can check the screen time on their phones to see if they are spending too much time on them. They can also make an effort to make more plans with their friends rather than endlessly scrolling on their phone for hours, as well as decide not to go on their phones as much when they are with others. Ultimately, this issue can only be solved individually. Will you make the effort to make a change in your phone habits? ★
