Ninety-one percent of adults use a cellphone, according to Pew Research. If you look around your college campus you will probably see a majority of people with their head looking down at a small, compact screen. Even if you look around your college classroom you will probably see fellow students taking a peek at their phone in their backpack or have it laying on their lap beneath their desk.
Cellphones are a modern-day way that people connect, but in classrooms they can become a hindrance. I sometimes struggle with putting my cellphone away in class, especially when the class is not my favorite and the lectures are boring. However, if students were to put their phones down in class they might be surprised what they could actually learn.
1. You can succeed
Imagine that you’re sitting there taking a test and can’t seem to recall the professor ever discussing this theory, idea or date and time that the question ask of you. Then you think to yourself that your best friend, Becky, was probably texting you something like the boy she met over the weekend or that she doesn’t feel like going to class.
Putting your phone down in class can help you succeed. Instead of paying attention to the last re-tweet by Kim Kardashian, you can be paying attention to what the professor is discussing that could help you one day, whether in class or in life.
2. You're paying for that time
Coming to college you made the decision to further your education. You also made the decision to pay tuition so you could attend your classes. Being on your phone instead of paying attention in class is in some ways, wasting not only your time but your money.
3. You can be respectful
The professor and other students making contributions to class discussion would rather have your attention than your phone screen. Putting your phone down in class can show respect to other students and the professor.
4. You won't miss things
Suddenly the majority of the class is laughing because the professor made some joke or accidentally dropped the F-bomb in class, but you have no idea what you missed. If you put your phone away for that allotted time you won’t have the chance of missing class material but also you won’t miss some exciting moments that are bound to happen.
5. You can connect with the people around you
The person sitting next to you in class could turn out to be your future best friend. Instead of connecting with people in the virtual world, try putting your phone down to talk to fellow students and connecting with the people around you.
6. You can check it after class
Your phone and everything with it such as texts, retweets, Instagram likes, etc. will still be there when class is over. Do not fret about missing something because you can always look at your phone when class is complete.
