College students’ lives are centered around technology, whether it’s used for entertainment, school or work. 

A survey of 14 University of North Georgia students shows that 78.6% of students would like to lower their screen time. Nadia Tate, a junior at UNG, says that she spends 5-7 hours on her phone daily. “I do feel like I spend too much of my time on [my phone],” she says. “Sometimes, I try to distance myself from it, and when I’m physically doing things that make me be in the moment it’s easier to not be on my phone.” Tate says that she sees her phone as a source of entertainment, and several other students agreed. “I guess I just get really bored so my instinct is to get on what’s most accessible to me. It gives me a sense of personal comfort.” 

Carter Pullen is a sophomore who spends 4-5 hours on his phone daily. He says he would like to lower his phone screen time because he has noticed a negative effect on his sleeping pattern. “Numerous online assignments are not helpful to my sleep schedule and are detrimental to my academic performance,” says Pullen, highlighting the academic influence on screen time. 

Dr. Simon Cordery, director of student counseling at UNG, says, “People are definitely dependent on their phones in a lot of ways. Despite the pressure to stay connected and keep up with everyone all the time, it can be healthy to take a social media break and use that time to reflect upon one’s own feelings, state of mind, goals, and needs.” He says that research shows that when anyone spends a lot of time using social media it directly affects their dissatisfaction with their own lives. 

Cordery says, “We should work to find a way to use the technology to our benefit rather than detriment. I think the answer is somewhere in the area of moderating our use. Just like most things, excess tends to be bad for us.”