- by Hailie St. John -
In the last few years, it has become way more common to use technology when it comes to class and assignments. All throughout schools the newest forms of technology are popping up but no one is talking about what it is doing to students. The pandemic pushed students, teachers, and even administrators to more electronic sources. To this day, most of my classes have major digital components. This can be beneficial for some and harmful for others.
I personally have always been a visual and physical learner. I need a pen and a piece of paper in front of me to take notes and learn the topic as the teacher runs through it. It helps me retain the information. I like to disconnect during class and get rid of distractions that may pop up. If you are the type of person who learns better this way, I recommend setting technology aside.
Some ways you can start to disconnect from technology while in class: Turn off notifications on your phone, put your phone away and out of reach during a class period and if you don’t need it, and don’t bring your laptop. My personal favorite way to disconnect is to print out anything needed for the class before the week starts. This includes any readings and class plans. Printers are available in every computer lab on campus. Students may submit print jobs from the lab computers to the printer in the lab. Here is the complete list of campus computer labs and their locations.
The benefits I have experienced from disconnecting have been some of the greatest. I no longer get headaches midday after staring at a screen. I have a clear mind. And nothing is clouding my judgment or influencing decisions when it shouldn’t. The next time you find yourself wondering how you could improve your academic success, consider disconnecting. It was one of the best decisions I made for my education.
