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This piece is from the CU Independent’s opinion section. Any opinions or views do not represent the CU Independent.
From in-class QR codes that track attendance to midnight deadlines, it’s nearly impossible to be a college student without having an array of gadgets to get you through your classes. While this increase in technology has provided many benefits to students, when is it all too much? Being alerted that a class has been canceled just before you get out the door is a good feeling, but carrying around your classroom in your pocket can take a toll. It may seem that only professors who are stuck in a bygone era are the only ones finding it difficult to coexist with technology, but there are plenty of challenges that students are encountering as well. What can you do if you feel that the cost of technology doesn’t end with the receipt? Before you pull the plug and throw your phone in the trash, it might be helpful to question what technology you truly need to be a successful student.
Undoubtedly, a phone is vital to campus. Whether you need to unlock a BCycle to go visit friends, frantically take a picture of a slide, or join a Zoom meeting for your class, a phone will handle it all. However, just because it can does not mean it has to. Getting a notification that alerts you to a late assignment may be very helpful, but do you need to be notified the second a grade you have been waiting for gets posted? So, if you’ve also had your stomach turn after seeing that your midterm grades have been submitted, then it might be helpful to learn that you can manage all of your notifications to the last detail through Canvas. Not only can you tweak which notifications get sent to your phone or email, but you can also change preferences for the course. So, if you worry that checking the time on your phone may lead you into a spiral of desperately reviewing your grades and emailing your professor, then it might be a good idea to limit your notifications.
While you certainly may be able to get away without a laptop, it is undeniable that laptops have carved their place in students’ backpacks. Many students buy their laptops outright or rent them from the CU Bookstore, and laptops are certainly a necessity for students with note-taking accommodations. You have likely been told by a professor that taking notes on a computer or tablet will cause you to receive a lower grade. You, like I did, probably rolled your eyes and forgot about it. But why not try it out? If you are worried about the bulk of carrying around a notebook for each of your classes, you could try carrying a single notebook. I have a single notebook that has carried me through six semesters!
An unexpected problem of de-digitizing your classes is the inability to check the time. Many lecture halls and classrooms lack a clock, even the ones that take me an embarrassingly long time to read. A simple wristwatch is my preferred solution to this problem, as it’s not only cheap but also prevents the checking-the-time-to-gradebook spiral. If you have a smartwatch and you find yourself in the same spiral, then limiting notifications may help you as well.
If you see me on campus, then you might notice me wrapped up in my phone and laptop. I do not think that you should throw out everything that needs a cable, but I’ve noticed that leaving my devices in my bag for a class period brings me relief. When your academic and personal life are all wrapped up in a device that you take from your bed to your classroom to a cafe, then it can be refreshing to take a break from it when you can.
Contact CU Independent Writer Atticus Kennedy at atticus.kennedy@colorado.edu
