Digital Detox 101…
Last semester, Dr. Shreya Hessle, a professor at Loyola University Maryland, taught a new psychology class called “Digital Detox” — and the results were amazing. Students who used to pick up their phones hundreds of times a day learned to live without them — thanks to a completely analog class with pen and paper assignments, 24–48‑hour device fasts, and outdoor adventures like football and hiking.
By the end of the semester, students’ screen time shrunk dramatically. They had better focus, slept better, rebuilt human connection, and even created “digital manifestos” pledging real conversations and slower tech use.
Many said they rediscovered boredom — and why that empty space actually feels amazing. Others realized how much they could get done when they weren't endless scrolling on their phones. As one student shared, “The day I went without my phone was the most productive day of my life.”
“Conversation is a dying form of communication,” Hessle told her students. “But conversation is what makes us the most human.” Lesson learned.
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