CITY COLLEGE— College students live in a world of constant notifications, endless scrolling, and academic pressure. For a generation raised on smartphones, screen time is not just a habit, it’s a way of life. But evidence links excessive device use to declining mental health and poor academic performance, and students are starting to push back.
What’s emerging is a shift: a growing effort to take control of technology rather than be controlled by it. “Funny enough, an Instagram account dedicated to a digital detox has helped me find times and ways to step away from my phone,” said Karl Lewis, a junior at The City College of New York (CCNY).
But the widespread problem persists. The Pew Research Center found that teens and young adults average nine hours a day of screen time, with half reporting they are online “almost constantly.” Researchers and health experts warn that this level of use can take a toll.
