So many aspects of our natural interactions within society have changed since we first came face to face with the pandemic.
We have learned to navigate relationships differently and acclimate to unfamiliar circumstances within education and the workplace. Now, it seems we’re okay with frequent irregularity and discomfort in our lives.
Our mental health has taken a toll, our ability to engage in our favorite activities is limited and we are forced to find new forms of connectedness within a socially distanced world.
As we approach a fresh year, we are now starting to emerge into an era where life with the virus feels like the new normal — for many, the main changes we experienced have been processed and accepted.
But how has this new normal remodeled our lifestyle and daily habits on a smaller, less visible scale?
People do not often think about the outbreak’s influence on our connection with technology, specifically with our phones. Our relationship with phones has deepened and intensified. In a world where physical engagement is compromised, virtual activity is the alternative.
Of course, technology has played a significant role in our lives far before the spread of COVID-19. However, certain features associated with the pandemic have considerable consequences.
For starters, the complete switch to online school has made screen time a requisite for learning. This system not only introduces serious limitations for college students who must adapt to an entirely modified process of higher education, but it can also be particularly threatening to the cognitive development of children, who rely on physical interaction at an early age to build interpersonal tools and learn fundamental life skills.
Outside of education, a growing reliance on technology trickles into other aspects of daily life as a result of the virus. More and more restaurants have made the move to mobile ordering and scannable menus that require customers to come prepared to use their phones.
These kinds of processes are paramount to public safety, but they introduce a never-before-seen aspect of dining: to order a meal, we must have access to our phones.
Of course, many of us are very used to having our phones by our side 24/7. The difference is that now, we do not have a choice over the matter.
Getting a meal with friends or family is typically treated as a designated time to socialize and enjoy the company of loved ones, away from the distraction of emails and messages. With the new association between going out to eat and additional screen time, we are increasingly dependent on our phones and probably more likely to stay on them when we don’t need to.
Along with this, Boston University’s current student compliance requirements also influence the amount of time we spend on our phones. The University recently implemented a new protocol for students entering BU dining halls, residences, the George Sherman Union and several other public spaces on campus: students must provide a green compliance badge to enter these facilities.
This means we must have our phones handy and charged, basically at all times.
The University’s measures are absolutely necessary for maintaining a safe environment for everyone — that is not in question. The point is, over time, these small implementations create gradual shifts in our dependency on technology and our jointness with screens.
We are integrating a series of everyday interactions with our phones that is outside of our normal parameters. Our dependence on devices to eat a meal, enter our dorms, go to the school library or listen to a lecture is borderline troubling.
This forced reliance on technology gives rise to potentially negative habits and learned behaviors we would not naturally acquire, and has serious consequences. We face threats of missing out on the life happening around us, detaching from personal connection, compromising our social skills and decreasing our individual autonomy.
As we deal with so many changes on our plate, screen time may feel like a backburner worry. However, it is important to be mindful of the role phones now play in our lives and to understand how this can affect us.
