Technology degrades the classroom environment

We all do it. We glance down at our phones, even when they are not buzzing because we are expecting a message from someone we have communicated with.

Despite this Pavlov-like need to respond to an alert, professors appreciate it when you participate in class and you have set your phones aside.

Even if you are just listening—you don’t have to always talk. When they see you making eye contact with them and taking notes as they lecture, they know you are giving them your full attention.

Because, just like you, they grow tired and discouraged, and they are unsure if you understand the material, just like you might not understand what they are explaining.

So talk! Ask questions.

Even if the class bores you or you find yourself yawning throughout the class period, try to find some aspect about the course material that interests you. It could be that your professor has taught the class so much that they have lost interest themselves. Sometimes all it takes is for a few people in class to engage and that alone may kindle excitement because of the different perspectives they may share. The questions you or your classmates ask may be the same ones others are afraid to ask.

It’s not easy to do, but try it. You don’t know what new discoveries you will come across if you do not venture outside your comfort zone.

It is easy to stay inside the comfort zone when it is your phone, but branching out can also intervene with your friendships, too. If technology is your sole source of communication, you may lose your own spark when you immerse yourself and do not put it away for some time throughout the day.

How many times do you freak out when you realize your phone is dying? This suggests you may be too attached to your phone. Remember, it is not your life. Your beating heart is the thing that keeps you alive. So take care of it and your mind will be whole, too.

Because sometimes, when you are paying attention to so much at a time, you really are not paying that much attention. In the process, you may later find out you have missed some important information you wish you would have had.

I would argue that many have become so reliant on technology that they lack awareness and they may not even recognize it. It is now kind of normal and it may not be all that healthy. It’s no wonder racing thoughts have become more common. You can try to accomplish so much on your phone through the use of applications, but your mind does require its own rest.

Maybe instead of keeping your phone on you all the time, it would help your concentration if you left it in your dorm or in your vehicle while you’re in class. It may even help improve your memory, especially if you make an effort to review what you have learned during class on your way to the next one or while you are taking a break.

You may be surprised at how much your life improves because you feel that less anxious.