Amanda Atchue

When students reach high school, most might admit they have relied on screens to get through their daily lives. Whether texting friends or playing games, students experience constant distractions from learning on a daily basis. This addiction fuels numerous negative mental and physical effects. Students spend so much time on phones that they are missing out on imperative life experiences.
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), 50.4% of teenagers aged 12-17 had 4 or more hours of screen time daily as of 2023. This is in comparison to the 3% that had less than one hour.
Many have linked the consumption of too much screen time to various mental health issues.
“I think it [phone overuse] causes self esteem issues and causes students to compare themselves to others. I think it causes anxiety and depression,” said school counselor Nicole Toupin. “I think now people are obsessed and make their phones a priority.”
Some Mountaineers admit to how social media and too much screen time affects their mental health.
“Social media affects our mental health by showing students unrealistic stereotypes and showing off anxiety inducing subjects,” said senior Daven Matta-Russell.
The administration at The Regional has taken action to reduce phone usage throughout the day. In an effort to disconnect to reconnect, students are only permitted to use phones during studies, lunch, and passing periods.
“I’m thrilled that students, teachers, and parents are all working together to support the mental health of our students by teaching that we don’t need phones during classes,” remarked assistant principal Victoria DeSimone.
For many students, limiting screen time doesn’t end when they leave the building. A lot of students at home have limited screen times set by their parents.
“My parents limit my screen time and go through my phone on a day to day basis. It helps because I feel like I’m constantly on my phone and not doing work,” said senior Finn Piuze.
However, some students believe they don’t need parental supervision in regards to phone usage and consider themselves self-sufficient.
“My parents don’t have to, [control phone use] I feel like I’m responsible enough on my own. I’m pretty proficient at making sure I get what I need to get done,” explained senior Shamus Mcgowan.
Teachers who are also parents believe in the idea that students need help regulating their screen time.
“It’s important to set healthy limits and engage in conversations about making good choices with the screens,” commented English teacher Sarah Lefebrve.
Screens have become an issue for students during class with Chromebooks as well. Students have been admittedly playing games, not focusing on the work or lesson happening around them.
“Teachers sometimes will tell students to get off their chromebooks if they are playing games, watching sports, or just generally distracting themselves,” said sophomore Valentina Elissetche.
Students notice how their Chromebooks, despite being used for classwork, can distract from their classes.
“I know some kids will use their Chromebooks to watch sports games during classes, or do other work for other classes and it distracts them from the class they’re in,” stated Puize.
Some students comment on how if they aren’t captivated by the lesson, they feel more inclined to pick up their phones instead of being engaged in learning or other tasks.
“I think if I’m not typically interested in a subject I tend to distract myself with my phone,” explained junior Jaylinn Wallace.
Freshmen have also been heavily impacted by the issue of phone use and social media addiction.
Freshman Hadley Castellani-Heller states, “When working I even tend to scroll when I could be doing other productive things.”
Overall, the controversial topic of phones at The Regional leads both students and teachers to recognize the impacts of too much screen time. Students appear to recognize the impact of being chronically online, making them more appreciative of the policies in place to regulate screen usage.