Every August, the start of the school year seems to be bittersweet. One day it’s summer, the next you’re handed a stack of syllabi, balancing practices, club meetings, late nights of homework and for seniors like me, the added stress of college applications. There’s an excitement that comes with it, though, like having classes with your best friend or Friday night football games.
This year, our school days look a little different, having no access to our personal devices has flipped our world as we know it upside down. Like many of you, I rely on my phone to feel connected to my friends and to always be in the know of what plans are happening this weekend. But as the weeks have gone on, I’ve noticed something surprising: without the constant buzz of notifications, there’s room for stillness.
When I look back at my first-day-of-preschool photo, I can’t help but giggle. There I am, with a little bob haircut, proudly holding up a picture of apples I had colored in, as if it were the most important work I would ever create. Back then, life felt simple. I didn’t have a device at 5 years old, or something to give me a quick burst of dopamine to pull me out of reality. I was mostly concerned with what playground my nanny and I were going to after my half-day of preschool.
In some ways, the phone ban has brought a piece of that simplicity back into my life. Instead of doomscrolling the moment I feel disconnected from the conversation I am in, I’ve noticed myself being able to breathe. I’ve started talking to the person next to me or just sitting with my thoughts. It’s refreshing, like returning to that preschool version of myself who could find immense joy in coloring apples.
The phone ban has forced us to create boundaries in a way many of us might not have chosen on our own. High school is busy, no doubt, but it doesn’t have to mean constant noise. Finding a sense of stillness throughout your school day can be grounding, and a reminder that not everything needs a reaction, a post or a response.
That’s what I hope Arlingtonian can be for you this year. A space of stillness. Whether you laugh at the missed connections with your friends, spot a familiar face in the 8-in-8 or read an article that challenges your perspective, let this newsmagazine serve as a reminder to pause. A reminder to notice what’s going on around you and a reminder to reflect, not just on where you are now, but even on where you started.
