By Hannah Park & Katelynn Luu
“We need to limit screen time.”
“Social media is unhealthy.”
“Get off your phone!”
Ugh! You’re probably rolling your eyes: these phrases are too cliché! But have you heard this?
“We put our phones in a drawer. For two weeks.”
Two of our reporters, Katelynn Luu and Hannah Park, set out on a “digital detox” to take a break from their devices. They quit YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Webtoons. Movies. Anything that involved a flashy, colorful screen was out. Other than the essentials (homework, etc.), they were unplugged!
Why such a drastic experiment? Although most students know that spending hours on a screen isn’t ideal, they don’t realize that they could be wasting their golden years on TikTok trends and the endless “scroll.”
“The teenage brain is so special,” psychology teacher Gina Carbone said. “Antidepressants, sleep, caffeine and, of course, tech, affects [it] differently … [it can get] wired for these addictive behaviors.”
What do teens miss out on when they gorge themselves with not-so-great content?
“The teen brain is capable of so much, but for a limited time. As they get older, their brains will lose the capacity to pick up on new skills, [like] learning to play the guitar [or] taking up a sport,” Carbone said.
“Is staring at a screen easier? Yes. Is it rewarding, or does it lead to personal growth and life satisfaction? No.”
Gina Carbone, psychology teacher
Our reporters definitely felt the opportunity cost when they lost control of their screen time. They felt frustrated, angry and ashamed — especially when they realized what they “could have” done instead. I could have read another chapter of Lord of the Rings! I could have done a workout!
So they set out on a mission. To reclaim their self-control, and to reclaim their self-esteem.
Week 1
According to the “Plugged In” podcast, which deals with all things tech, taking a digital break helps reset an important neurotransmitter: dopamine.
Most apps, especially social media platforms, are designed to release as much dopamine as possible … leading to addiction. Eventually, our dopamine receptors get overloaded. As a result, “normal” activities like reading, going outside and spending time with family (which release less dopamine) don’t seem exciting anymore.
Theoretically, taking a break allows our dopamine receptors to “reset.” We’d get used to lower levels of dopamine and, therefore, enjoy the small things in life. How did our first week go?
Hannah Park: The detox wasn’t as bad as I expected. Once I committed to a goal with Katelynn, it was easier to stick to the rules. Having an accountability partner is awesome: if you ever choose to do a challenge like this, try it with a friend!
I had little slip-ups: when I had to open up an app for school, it took a lot of willpower not to do other things on the platform. For example, I’d post something on Instagram for Art Club, then find myself clicking on a cute cat photo. Oops! I managed to close Instagram, but not before staring at the cat’s fuzzy face (honestly, who can resist a cute kitty?).
I’d already tried to phase out electronics before the detox, but I definitely felt the difference when I took some apps out entirely. My productivity would swing up and down before, when I’d enjoy some days of intense, productive studying … and then crash one day where I’d lose control and spend hours on YouTube (and feel super guilty afterward). But this week, I was consistent all the way through!
Katelynn Luu: I used to be a victim of the infinite TikTok scroll until I deleted the app last year. My experience in breaking away from that habit was smoother than I expected: once the app was gone, my habitual opening of the app was no longer possible, and I didn’t feel any strong urge to redownload the app. Rather, I reveled in the time I had regained in my days and got more sleep, more studying and more socialization with my friends (outside of a screen).
Coming into this detox, I expected to have a similar experience. Without Tiktok, my recreational screen time can be divided into three main categories: Youtube, Instagram and eBooks.
Without the usual distraction of a YouTube video playing in the background, I found that I was much more mindful in completing tasks such as folding my laundry and even eating. At first I was bored by these moments, but I grew to appreciate these quiet times as opportunities to allow my mind to wander freely and be more present in the moment. When I did look for more stimulation, it came in the form of music or a FaceTime with a friend.
Going without eBooks was easy enough as well. I finally caught up on my shelf of physical books that languished in my to-be-read list. I also noticed that I spent less time reading — not because I enjoyed it less, but rather because it felt easier to close my book after a chapter to get ready for bed compared to turning off my iPad.
Instagram was my real challenge. I have a lot of important group chats for my extracurriculars on the app, so I couldn’t mute notifications on it — that’s where I went wrong. My slip-ups were similar to Hannah’s: I’d open Instagram to reply to a message or make a post on the @baronnews account, but then — oh, wait! My friend tagged me in a post. I caught myself scrolling through Instagram stories a few times this week before forcing myself to close the app.
So far, the digital detox is mostly successful, save for those few, short mistakes. I’m spending a lot less time on screens, and I feel more in control of myself and my time. My productivity has remained the same, but socially, I’ve become more active in spending time with my friends, which is a much more enjoyable use of my time than scrolling through their Instagram posts.
Week 2
“Even though it’s called social media, there’s nothing really social about it. I know students who are afraid to make actual phone calls or engage in real live conversations.”
Carbone
Hannah Park: As my digital detox comes to an end, I’m actually sad to see it go. Knowing that there were actual consequences to turning on my phone kept me accountable — if I gave in, I wouldn’t have a successful detox to write about! However, it wasn’t too hard to go a second week without digital entertainment. After all, Newton told us, “Objects in motion tend to stay in motion.”
During the second week, I realized that I’d fallen into a rhythm. The times when I’d waste a precious afternoon scrolling through Bored Panda or YouTube Shorts seemed so distant. I couldn’t believe I used to have so little self-control. Clearly, I found out that it does get easier. Once we had the courage to start, the rest was history.
There were three key benefits I experienced from two weeks of cutting out extraneous screen time:
- I trust myself more.
I’ve always thought about cutting down screen time, but I always wrote down New Year’s Resolutions and sticky-note goals with a shaky hand. I didn’t really believe that I could stick to it. But now, I know that I can put away my phone. I can survive without it. As I choose which digital activities to re-implement after the detox, I can cut unhealthy apps and habits with confidence. I’ve proven myself: a huge boost for my motivation and overall self-esteem.
- I can spend more time with my family.
I’ll admit it: we were one of the dinnertime TV families! My dad won a TV at a company raffle (which was a whole story in itself), and we placed it in the dining room. It was a long-term habit that was, ultimately, unhealthy.
A few weeks before the detox, we decided to hide the remote. I’d read things about mindful eating and being present: it’s the only way you can enjoy what’s in front of you. My family grumbled a bit, and the first few meals were definitely … interesting.
However, we began to talk to fill the silences. We shared stories about ourselves that were previously left unspoken. We have funny conversations and exchange life advice. By cutting out our relationship with the TV screen, we were able to strengthen our relationships with each other.
- I get more work done!
This ties into #1. Previously, I would plan out a weekend schedule, only for my plans to be derailed by a journey through the Internet. I was like a chugging train that got cut off by a herd of buffalo: I wanted to pursue my passions and get my work done, but I was hindered by my own lack of self-control.
But this weekend, my productivity blew all other weekends out of the water. I chugged and chugged away, down the train tracks. I finished a portfolio, read 60 pages of my Literature book, caught up with my Economics packets, finished two Psychology readings and finished up one giant component of my college applications. I even had time left over to enjoy Sunday Mass, have an Art Club board call and participate in a family movie night. I’m listing this out because I want to emphasize the power that we all have: we can do SO MUCH MORE than we think we can.
If you’d asked me, pre-detox, if I could get that much done in a weekend, I would have given you a weak smile, stared at you like a concussed sheep and run for the hills. But now, I feel like I’ve unlocked the key to productivity (and happiness)!
Katelynn:
During our second week of the detox, my life got so busy that I almost entirely forgot about it because I barely had time to even think about going on my phone. I’m grateful that we started this detox the week before — like Hannah, I fell into a rhythm after the first week, and staying off of my phone became natural to me. If we hadn’t done this detox, my busy week would have robbed me of even more sleep.
Here are my key takeaways:
- I have more time to take care of myself and explore hobbies
Scrolling through social media is not a good study break — but I’m guilty of doing exactly that. However, on this digital detox, I had to find a different way to spend my break time away from my phone. I would go grab a drink and a snack, or play a song on the piano I haven’t touched in years because “I had no time.” I actually found these breaks to be more effective because they actually allowed my brain to rest, and I didn’t end up in the five minute break to three hour Instagram scroll pipeline.
This detox also forced me to cut my habit of going on my phone before bed. As a result, I got more sleep in these two weeks because of the detox because I wouldn’t fall into an endless scroll before I slept — I just laid in my bed, closed my eyes and fell asleep. I definitely plan to maintain both of these habits after the detox.
- I’m questioning my social media presence
My biggest fear going into the detox was not being able to connect with my friends on Instagram, but to my surprise (and major relief), I experienced no problems in these two weeks. My friends didn’t abandon me, and I didn’t post anything for two weeks, but nothing happened. I like to post on my Instagram to update my friends on my life, but taking that avenue away from myself led to more in-person conversation and updates.
While I won’t be cutting Instagram out of my life following this detox, I feel less attached to the app because I know it doesn’t have a major impact on my social life.
Conclusion
As you can see, no one has the same experiences. We each took different things away from our detox. But we had one thing in common: by quitting screens, we empowered ourselves. We took back the steering wheel.
We wholeheartedly recommend trying a detox, if you haven’t done so already. Who knows what powers you’ll unlock along the way?
