By Fiona Jacobs
Am I the only one who thought school was going to be frantic, wild, ridiculously romanticised, and downright hysterical like the films we once watched?
I currently write this in the ghost town I call school.
Maybe, it never existed but when I ask older relatives about their college experiences and them replying with stories of waking up in the courtyard the next morning with no memory of the journey the night before, it does make me question.
Phone use
I believe phones are the root of the empty halls and smaller bonds.
You wonder what the time is or what class you have after break? Why bother asking a schoolmate when you can just check the phone that is glued to your hand.
Make a friend or join a club
What happened to note passing, study groups, clubs, or the romantic gestures our parents will reminisce about at the dinner table?
I personally know my ice breakers and conversation starters would be a lot stronger if I was not so used to hiding behind my phone. Be bold, use your voice.
Take in the quiet moments
Envisioning school I saw culture, diversity, community, friendships, and many sporadic experiences added to my belt that would soon be passed down to the generations after me in scrapbooks or letters and that one rare photo I actually had time to take. Moments that could not be curated via text or Instagram like.
Look up. Believe it or not, life is happening right in front of you.
Taking Risks
The number of school students has plummeted ever since the orientation and engaging spirit died. Why bother when you can do everything online or when your social anxiety is too overbearing?
I know mentally and physically you can benefit in a newer environment rather than your bedroom and laptop or that it raises the stakes when it comes to having a new romance or a sweet new friendship. Take the chance.
Confidence
Sometimes I fear the spreading nomophobia (the fear of not having a phone) will make us lose our own spark. So, if that means I need take the extra mile in a real conservation or putting my hand up to an answer I probably don’t know the answer to then so be it. What does a little embarrassment bring harm to?
Take that leech called a phone and put it away. You can wait later to see those addicting cat TikToks or a random’s “day in the life” reel but not when it comes to the little moments. Not when it comes to the start of your own individual journey.
Featured image: Students distracted by their mobile phones. Photo: GHCassel/CC/Wikimedia Commons
