I belong to the first generation with no memory of a disconnected world. I’m 16, a high school junior and a female — I sit at the epicenter of concerns about social media and adolescent development.
Australia banned social media for people under the age of 16. and Jonathan Haidt is pushing similar solutions in the U.S. However well intentioned, no one knows exactly how smart phones affect adolescent brains. Without evidence, we don’t actually know what we’re trying to prevent … much less what we should do to prevent it.
I don’t have the platform to conduct an in-depth study, but I’m a sample set of one. I conducted an experiment on myself to explore how my phone is affecting me. I focused on three pressure points – screentime addiction, productivity and self-image.
First, I heard that turning your display black and white is a hack that, like digital dementors, sucks the soul out of your phone. I did just that — and I deleted all social media.
Second, I’ve sensed that I spend more time on my phone during school than I care to admit. I left my phone in my car from 7:25 a.m. until 2:10 p.m.
Third, I figured that any effect on self-image would be a trailing indicator.
What I found startled me. Here is one girl’s experience.
The first day I turned my display black and white, my screen time plummeted from six-and-a-half hours to two-and-a-half hours. I was shocked how immediately effective the hack was and how addictive my phone had become. I felt naked because I was suddenly process-observing myself. I discovered that I usually half walked, half scrolled to school, dodging potentially uncomfortable interactions. And, with no color on my screen, I immediately lost all interest in Snapchat and found no pleasure wasting time on my phone.
[Voices: As a Utah high schooler, my cell phone is a tool for education and connection]
I had been getting drawn into meaningless tasks, like photo editing, that were mindless entertainment. Instead of scrolling first thing in the morning, I stood up and got ready for school. Without the option of scrolling I could easily choose to do my homework. I went to bed without digital self-soothing. I felt the addiction vanish.
Divorced from social media, I started to realize how seeing constant images of myself was heightening my insecurities and diminishing my self-worth. Taking pictures of myself on Snapchat everyday is my phone’s main toxin. When I turned the app back on after my two week experiment, I felt a rush of insecurity hit. I always needed more — more likes, new clothes, a different haircut or a trip somewhere pretty. For two weeks, my online shopping habit disappeared.
Social media had changed my perception of reality, making me feel like I was missing out on something. Without my phone, I realized my life was enough.
There were a few impracticalities. I couldn’t coordinate with my brother and our shared car. I didn’t know where to meet my friends for lunch. I needed a calculator for math class. But those are trivial details. An iPhone is overkill.
What if everyone my age ran the same experiment? As the sole guinea pig, I found myself open to engagement at school, but everyone else was still on their phones. After my experiment, I realized I would give anything to have everyone use flip phones. I didn’t miss anything about my “smart” phone.
I am never going back. Every student needs to try this. I finished hours of homework with no procrastination. I went to bed without scrolling. I had increased self-esteem. I focused in class. I increased social interaction. I want all students to feel the peace I discovered without my phone.
Anna Clayton, a high school junior, is a member of the Utah Board of Education Student Council and a singer-songwriter performing under the name Anna Carman on all streaming platforms.
Anna Clayton, a high school junior, is a member of the Utah Board of Education Student Council and a singer-songwriter performing under the name Anna Carman on all streaming platforms.
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