Peers, not phones
This is the opinion of Betsy Ruckman, CSB senior.
Dear Editor,
What a freezing week. Temperatures in the negative double digits made it a rough walk to the library, the BAC and faraway dorms. But with all those hands stuffed in pockets and bundled in mittens, I was pleased to see more students looking up at the world around them or talking with a friend instead of staring at their phones as they walked outside. Close TikTok and take a look around during passing time on either campus. You’ll see many students hunched over their phones all the way from bus to building. And hey, I’m guilty of this from time to time as I check my schedule or answer a quick text from a friend. But I strive to keep my head up. I love to greet friends as they pass, seeing the same people every Monday, Wednesday and Friday as our daily routines briefly overlap.
I admire the campus as it changes in the seasons: this week, it was the flurrying, sparkling snow that captured my attention. Even when there’s nothing of interest to see, that brain break is a gift, too, a moment without clamoring notifications and advertisements in a busy day. We live on a beautiful campus filled to the brim with interesting, funny and smart people. Watch for students with brightly-colored coats and accessories that can bring joy to a dull, freezing day. Acknowledge the friends that you pass every day with a smile or a wave that might help them feel seen and appreciated. Marvel at that one guy who, despite the -40 wind chill, still wore shorts and a tank top. (What are you trying to prove, dude?) Blink, or lose yourself in a screen, and you’ll miss those things.
Ask yourself if your phone is connecting or disconnecting you from what matters to you. Ask yourself if the endless scroll or the extended text conversation is more important than taking a second to check in with yourself, breathe (thanks, Mari’s earlier opinion) and enjoy where you are. Taking your eyes off screens, even for the short walk between classes, can ground you back in your body, your mind and your campus where your life really happens.