At the top of the to-do list I had crafted in my head was “study for finals.” It was the peak of softball season and playoffs were right around the corner. Despite knowing I had limited time after school to get everything done, I found myself scrolling through TikTok for over an hour when I got home. As my to-dos kept compiling and finals approached, I knew what I had to do to get it together. I deleted TikTok.
Four months havepassed and I have not even considered redownloading the app. My work ethic has reaped the benefits of deleting it. I no longer reach for my phone while studying or doing homework,and I can focus longer. I also feel more awake during the day and fall asleep faster. While I cannot claim this is a direct result of deleting TikTok, I do not think the timing is coincidental.
I will admit, though, that I like the security of having my phone with me at all times, even if I am not using it. At school, it is convenient to take my phone out of my backpack and quickly text my mom to confirm I have a ride home or ask my dad to bring me a notebook I left behind. For that reason, I was not thrilled to hear about the new policy, which requires students to store their phones in a caddy during class.
However, recognizinghow deleting TikTok has benefited me, I have become more open to the policy.The “phone jails” do not seem to be going anywhere, so students should take advantage of time without their phones to focus and complete their work efficiently. Take notes while the teacher is talking, complete homework instead of the Wordle and participate when given the opportunity.
Time away from your phone is now built into the school day. If you utilize it, you may notice an increased attention span, higher-quality sleep and a lighter workload at home. Which means more time after school to scroll through TikTok, of course.