I went to my Freshman Orientation four years ago without my phone, under the impression I’d be too busy meeting new people to pick it up. I was early, buzzing with excitement as the room filled with students. After looking around, I saw every kid hunched over their phone in silence.
Instead of friends catching up and telling stories about their summers, I watched as an entire library full of students sat hunched over their phones.
Technology has improved our communication, enabled productivity, increased efficiency and provided broader access to data. There are so many improvements to society that we owe to the evolution of our devices.
But what about the way we socialize and interact with others?
According to a study released in January of 2026 by Ohio State University, positive emotional responses were reduced when communicating via smartphones, computers and tablets.
Online platforms are breeding grounds for cyberbullying, where anyone can hide behind a username while spreading negativity and misinformation. Technology is harming our relationships and our ability to connect, and it breed fear of the real world in the minds of users which can make them feel safer alone.
Now more than ever, it is easier to isolate oneself from society when there is a way to do everything from the comfort of your own home via a device. We are being groomed to be dependent on technology.
Generation Z ages 14 to 29, craves social connectedness, but are scared to reach out due to screens, according to a study from Stanford University .
Although many students weren’t happy when the phone ban was introduced at MHS, conversations and laughter now fill the last five minutes of my classes, replacing the silence of kids scrolling mindlessly.
Humans need connection just like our need for food or water. Forming connections is how we evolved society. Don’t let a screen take away one of the most important parts about being a human.
