Marist & Phone Culture: Is It Time to Hang Up?

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On day two of my college career, my phone died on me. It did not run out of battery but rather refused to power on after 12 hours of charging. The repair shop said that my 2-year-old Pixel 6 was essentially totaled despite being only two-thirds of the way through its intended 3-year lifespan. 

Fortunately enough for me, I was able to contact my parents and get home for Labor Day weekend to get a new iPhone. However, being off the grid for a week proved difficult. I was unable to scan any of the many QR codes presented to me during Welcome Week, snap quick photos or receive emails or messages from professors and my R.A. I almost missed the train at the Poughkeepsie train station getting home when my computer refused to connect to WiFi (which, I naively assumed would work at a busy train station). Having cell service in my pocket would’ve prevented me from missing two club meetings, three R.A. announcements, one professor notice and the personal daily reminders I need.

As an institution, Marist College doesn’t require students to have a computer but encourages it. Additionally, ResNet only supports the latest and greatest macOS and Windows versions on their network. Many students also opt for a tablet and smartphone, the latter of which most of the nation has. Having a smartphone at Marist is an unofficial requirement, used for everything from quick communication to logging into your myMarist account using the college’s two-factor authentication service, Duo, which requires users to supply their own smart device or physical security key. This system relies on students having infinite, unrestricted access to their smartphones, laptops and Internet connections.

The only issue: we don’t always have infinite access. Phones can break, laptops can die and WiFi networks can drop. I only managed to regain access to my myMarist account (which is required for viewing courses, packages, and other crucial college tasks) after digging through my phone’s photo backups — something that many students may not have access to. 

Smartphones used to be considered an expensive commodity — the first iPhone was a distant 16 years ago — but are now considered an expensive necessity. Not only is it now necessary, but it’s also becoming expensive: unless you opt for a “budget” phone with fewer features. Name-brand phones (even generations back) can breach the $600 mark. 

This necessity also can detract from the college experience just as much as it enhances it. During my week away from my smartphone, I noticed just how often people used their cell phones: when sitting together, in the bathroom and while they were eating. These devices also work against you, with almost a quarter of young adults being as much as addicted to them.

Pivoting away from technology could also prove to be reliable and effective. Methods like hands-on learning are proven to be effective in both academic and practical settings and encourage “in-the-moment” learning. Taking a step away from the phone can also reinforce memories, ideas, and moments, keeping students focused in and out of the classroom. Even simple changes, like printed materials in the classroom, encourage focus and cost-effectiveness. 

Marist has been able to preserve some aspects of campus away from the screen already. While a large portion of Marist’s counseling services are online, in-person is available, and one of the most important tools on Marist — the Marist ID — is still physical. Without my phone, I could still enter the dining hall, unlock my dorm room, and get credit for attending class.

Smartphone culture isn’t going away anytime soon, with giants like Apple and Google throwing punches at the market on an annual basis. but it’s time that we view them as tools rather than necessities. Getting by at Marist — and, in a lot of ways, the world — has become reliant on fragile microcomputers that connect people as much as they isolate those without them. Disconnecting entirely isn’t the solution, but creating spaces where people can experience Marist without having to stare down may improve our campus culture for the better.