At the start of the 2024 school year, MSHS implemented a new school-wide cell phone policy. The policy states that cell phones and personal electronic devices must be kept out of sight during all class times. The only times these devices are allowed to be out are during passing periods or lunch time.

Cell phones have been a rising talking point for schools across the country. Most schools already had a policy that wasn’t followed, similar to the one at MSHS previously. The plea from teachers was simple: make a policy that forces students to be off their phones and engaged in class.

The new policy has most people split on one of two sides; people either enjoy the lack of phones during the academic day or they are completely against it. For me it’s the first option. The lack of use from my phone, I believe, has not only made me happier as a person, but also more focused on my school work. I am not just a fluke in the system though, studies show that being on your phone chronically can cause mental fatigue and cause physical problems. 

Being off my phone during the school day has made me much more productive. I use school time for school, rather than pushing school work off until later. The lack of screen time has also allowed me to be more involved in my relationships and after school activities. The feeling of being forced to look at my phone for these connections was depressing for me. I wanted to slowly disconnect from my phone over the summer, and the new policy allowed me to follow through on my wishes.

Although this worked out for me, the fact that I already wanted to get off my phone made it easier. What about the kids who might have nomophobia? Nomophobia is the fear of detachment from a phone. If someone has this, they can slowly start putting their phone down to get rid of the anxiety that comes from not having it. The person can also have “ringxiety”, so whenever they feel like they might have a message or if they do hear one, it causes anxiety. The feeling of needing to see a phone and check it immediately is also unhealthy. Breaking these habits slowly may help a student ease off of the screen addiction. 

The benefits of putting the phone down greatly outweigh the pros of using it constantly. While putting it down might be hard, these are some things to try that might help. 

The benefits of putting your phone down include improved critical thinking, creativity, and clarity. Improving your critical thinking can help in decision making and helps people make logical conclusions. By being on your phone, neural pathways that engage in complex thought processes may become less efficient without regular challenge. Your phone essentially stuffs up your brain, and it becomes harder to process information. So putting your phone down trying a puzzle or just playing a game that tests your critical thinking is very beneficial.

If you are constantly on your phone absorbing content, your mind has no free room to focus on any creative task. The brain is so fixated on short releases of dopamine that you can’t focus on a task for too long. By having your phone nearby when doing a creative task, you can also cheat it and look something up rather than coming up with it by yourself. This doesn’t mean looking at something for inspiration, but it’s more often searching something up, and copying it. To better your creativity skills, try embracing the boredom you might have without your phone. Instead of filling that random gap of time with scrolling, instead try sitting in that boredom and thinking of something to do. 

Lastly, having your phone in front of you 24/7 isn’t healthy. The clarity you have when your phone isn’t on is massive. You aren’t being bombarded by emails, texts, social media posts, and YouTube notifications. When you decide to put your phone down, you’ll be able to think more clearly. The lack of messages all day helps cut out the overstimulation. This can allow you to focus all day without having distractions that force you off task. 

It’s super important to look at your current situation and decide if you should start leaving your phone behind. Although I stopped using mine during the day, I still allow time at night and on the weekends. It might be hard to stop using it now but slowly getting rid of cellphone use is very healthy and beneficial.