The 48-Hour Disconnet
Ponder the amount of hours you spend on your cell phone. Consider all the missed opportunities. The people. The places. The culture you weren't able to absorb because you were too distracted by those notifications. By that red icon in the corner of the app, pulling you in. Inviting you to engage. The transition from high school to college is arguably the most difficult transition one may face. Especially for those entering a new country or a completely opposite atmosphere compared to the one that nurtured them, meeting new people and exploring your new environment around you can be the most beneficial experience, apart from the knowledge you are about to gain. That being said, collecting incoming students' cell phones and keeping them captive for 48 hours will help support the college's intended goals, as the absence of technology can help students expand their horizons, fostering new relationships and helping them adapt to their new surroundings by exposing them to the school's traditions and cultures.
If you're heavily dependent on your cell phone, you may approach this initiative with refusal. But, little do you know, learning and growth can take place in the absence of technology. This initiative can encourage students to venture out and immerse themselves within the diverse array of new incoming students, allowing them to foster new relationships and make friends. This example can be seen through my own personal experience being an international school student. Growing up, I have had to move and live in a variety of places before, such as Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, and Shanghai. Thus, I have had to attend new schools and meet new people. During my time in Singapore, I was heavily dependent on my cell phone. Especially being new, the anxiety can almost immerse you. Therefore, I constantly looked down at my phone during orientation and the first couple days at school. This prevented me from meeting new people, starting conversations with adults, and fostering new friendships since I was heavily focused on texting my friends back home. However, as classes approached, all students were encouraged to leave their phones inside the pouch on the teacher's desk. After handing my phone in, it encouraged me to start conversations, therefore fostering relationships as I didn't have a screen to hide behind and pretend to act busy. By handing in my phone, it encouraged me to make new friends as I no longer had notifications that would distract me. The absence of technology and the benefits it provides when fostering new relationships can be seen through my sister's experience. In 2023, when my sister had graduated high school and was off to college, she had brought up her plan of going "no technology" for the first 2 days of school with the intention of saving money on the data plan and saving her limited GB for urgent uses. In doing so, not only did she achieve that intention, she also fostered a strong relationship with her roommate and others on her floor. Despite going on her phone time and time again throughout the 2 days, her effort to avoid looking at her phone encouraged her to talk to new people, join clubs, and participate in activities where she further fostered new relationships. The benefits of having your cell phone gone for 48 hours are endless. Especially when fostering new friendships, those relationships will surely last longer than the 48 hours of absence.
Further, not only can the absence of technology help students foster new relationships, it can also encourage them to live in the moment, absorbing the environment and their new school culture. As an international school student, it's almost inevitable that you'll attend at least one summer school program during your high school years. For me, I attended the UChicago Summer Program this past summer. Upon arrival, I realized that college campuses are much larger than high school campuses and contain many more clubs, facilities, and traditions. Therefore, the need for attention, attentiveness, and focus when navigating through is extreme. During my visit, specifically during the campus college tour, I was extremely nervous and therefore paid little attention to the tour itself, and more towards my cell phone. Therefore, after the tour, I could remember little about how to get to class, where all the facilities are, and the traditions UChicago is known for. However, my roommate Lynn, who was not distracted by her cell phone, could remember almost all of what we learned during the tour. This provided significant insight towards the importance of living in the moment and being present, rather than being captivated by technology. Due to the distractions from my phone notifications, I was unable to fully provide my attention towards the tour, therefore missing the important elements that make the campus special. I had little recollection of the areas which were safe for students, the traditions that would be talked about during break, and the history behind the architecture, which posed a burden for me later during my trip. The lack of attentiveness due to the immense distractions from cell phones, causing little absorption and learning of school culture, can also be seen through my time in Singapore. The school which I attended valued traditions immensely. However, during my first day of school, I missed many of these traditions and the valuable cultural traits about this school as I was extremely distracted by my cell phone. This posed challenges later on when events came around. A tradition at my old school was UN Night, where students would audition for dances that represented a variety of cultures. This has stood as a long tradition at the school. However, as I was extremely distracted on my phone during the first day of school, I missed this information and therefore was unaware of this event. This therefore prevented me from participating, missing a huge integral element of the school which all students praise.
Despite the fostered relationships and greater knowledge of your surroundings, this initiative could also discourage fostering relationships and adaptation. For example, as we are immersed in a highly technological society, the main mode of communication is through social media or messaging apps. Without phones, it could be hard for students to keep in contact with those they have just met, therefore hindering their relationships with those they have just met. Especially within a large student body, keeping in touch with people without their contact will eventually erode the relationship. Therefore, this can discourage students from meeting new people, as they may develop the mindset that they won't remember the person anyway without their contact, so why bother. Further, many students rely on photos and notes when learning new ideas. Considering the size and knowledge these students may gain throughout their first couple of days, some students may find it difficult to remember certain traditions, locations of facilities, and the history behind their campus without notes taken on their cell phone. Those who rely on pictures to remember will also struggle. However, as campuses have maps around, and society once existed without the existence of phones, anything is possible. Students most certainly don't NEED their cell phones to foster new friendships or help them adapt into the new school environment. A pen, paper, and your full undivided attention will do.
Ponder on an instance where you missed valuable lessons because you were too distracted by technology. Do you regret not paying attention? Of course it's easier said than done to give up your phone for 48 hours. But do the benefits outweigh the negatives? Oftentimes we are extremely distracted by our phones, enabling us to miss valuable insights and opportunities for forming new relationships that new college students need. Therefore, despite how hard it may be, think about all the benefits you gain without them. Especially for those new to the environment and first years of college, the absence of technology can help support the creation of new relationships, and the adaptation and absorption of your new school.