By Maya Savard, age 14
If you have a phone or any other smart device, and brought it to Danbee with you, it was taken away from you at the start of camp. Many WriCampians have been going through a type of withdrawal as a result of this.
While the sting of their missing phones was still fresh, I asked campers how much time they usually spent on their devices daily. 91 campers responded to the poll.
A plurality of campers, 27.5%, self-reported that they typically spend 3-4 hours on their devices daily. However, 14 people spent 6-7 hours, 3 people spent 7-8 hours, and 6 people spent 8+ hours on their devices daily.
The survey also asked if they believed their screen time had any effect on their day-to-day life, and received some concerning responses. 76% of people said “yes,” and the other 24% said “no.” Many people reported that they were missing out on daily activities and quality time because of how much time they spent on their devices.
Some people also reported physical and mental changes, like increased fatigue, numbness, depression, shorter attention span, headaches, and problems with eyesight.
A lot of people wished they could spend more time reading print media in their lives outside of camp, and that’s something that’s great about being here! Campers get time away from social media and digital games and can reconnect with the natural world in a bucolic setting, surrounded by others doing the same.
While devices are helpful for school, scheduling, and keeping in touch with far-flung friends, a digital detox every once in a while can help you immensely. Whether it’s improved sleep, better posture, reduced stress, or more productivity, a digital detox has many benefits that will be worth a couple of days away from your beloved screens.
