Breaking Free from the Scroll: Time to Choose You
/How often have you heard “Put your phone down”, or “Stop scrolling”? We Gen Zers, the technology generation, have had to defend our capability to use phones and social media responsibly for as long as we can remember. Those who struggle to use Siri or Alexa or emoji text have consistently preached about its dangers and ill effects. Seems ironic. And yet, we are coming to understand that there is a valid warning. The correlation between excess use and its adverse effect on our mental health, our sleep, and our ability to let our mind be still is becoming better understood. But when did you ever believe something, you haven’t experienced yourself? With recent events and discussions in the United States and the threat of a ban on TikTok, it got me thinking. What would happen if students stopped using these 15-second scrolling apps? Would our mental health improve? Would we die of boredom in the 10 seconds between conversations? What else would happen…better and worse?
I, like many of my friends here at StFX, use TikTok or Instagram reels often, as a sort of zone-out time, a time to disassociate, or to even relax before bed. Now, as many of us are well aware, a quick break to check can sometimes turn into a 2-hour ‘doomscroll’. But how does this intake of passive information and media really affect a person? Personally, I had no honest clue of the impact beyond the time that my setting app told me I was spending on the scroll. (And that was a surprise!) Apparently, I spend about four hours a day on social media, and about one of those four hours on TikTok. So, I decided to run a self-study. I was inspired by one of my friends, Parker (a first-year student here at StFX), who had deleted Instagram off her phone, simply because she recognized the excessive time she was devoting to the app.
Day One: I deleted TikTok. Gone was the constant influx of videos, the shared videos from friends and the ever-changing trends. I’ll admit, the second I deleted it, I fully regretted it. But how could I be sure there were benefits to living off TikTok if I hadn’t tried it? It was one small thing - surely, I could survive. After living TikTok-FREE for two weeks, here are the rewards that filled the scroll space:
1. Procrastination: Oh, I still procrastinate! But did you know that here at StFX, the resources are abundant in helping students to tackle this issue? We all have received the emails from Student Services. Flourish@X is a proactive mental health program and only one of many wellness resources that the school offers out of Bloomfield to help you manage time and pressure as part of your academic and personal life. I was aware I regularly faced the consequences of putting off my work but did taking a small break from scrolling really make a difference? Wouldn’t I find another task to procrastinate further? Or, would the absence of the online distraction help solve the issue? Maybe not a surprise, both situations applied. My procrastination was still there, but with less force. My unconscious use of time scrolling for hours morphed away from my phone, I found myself looking to the people around me. My friends and the activities offered weekly at Bloomfield and around campus were now more attractive. I admit, I still sit down for a nightly show, but there is one definite change. I am now consciously aware of my time. My time is my own and not lost to the repeated swipe of my finger.
2. Sleep: It was expected, yet far more noticeable than I could have dreamt (pun intended). There was a marked change in the quality of my sleep. One of the most important aspects of our health and well-being, especially for students whose brains are still developing, is our rest. Without access to my nightly routine of picking up my phone before sleep, and flipping till my eyes began to shut, I found myself simply going to bed. The best part? I didn’t spend an extra hour looking at the ceiling before finally falling into a light slumber. I realized that this routine was not healthy. Like you, I was aware of the effect blue light has on our brains. But that understanding alone was not enough for me to put an end to it. After asking around to classmates and friends, similar habits were common. For the majority of students, the last thing they look at before going to bed is their phone. Not a book, or a craft, but their device. When we understand the effect our sleep has on the quality of our days, our ability to learn, and to create, it’s a wonder that we, as students, do not try to give ourselves a break from the blue light.
After about two weeks, and the passing news of TikTok’s ban, and un-ban, I realized that it really isn’t a necessity in my life. Those hours spent TikToking were not defining moments of my day. Instead, the moments spent staying on top of my work, going out with my friends, supporting each other in our respective sports, or watching them in a play, ...this is how I wanted to spend my time. Our StFX student lives are constantly filled with activity, and time is scarce. I expect it’s a practice for life and careers ahead. Why wouldn’t we ditch the scrolling and make the most of it?
But why are we choosing to scroll over our time with friends, learning and sleeping? A fuller study is needed here. But if you can’t say no to the scroll, for even a little bit, check out the great resources and people at Bloomfield to gain control of what you want for your time. As a student here at StFX, where we have access to so many resources for success, it can be hard to step out and actually help ourselves. If there was one thing that this little study taught me, it’s that my time is important to me. I will scroll again, I know it, but I want to be my best self at work, with friends, family and fun. Practice what you want. If you want more health and wellness in your life, take a little more time for yourself. Find out what awesome things might fill the space. You deserve it.
