How Addicted are People to Their Phones?

What’s the first thing you look at in the morning? Your ceiling? Your alarm clock? Many say they look at their phone first thing in the morning. Of course, smartphones are definitely a great advancement in technology, and they can help us do things faster and easier. But people have become attached to their phones and even sometimes misuse them. In one survey done by Life Hack, 73 percent of respondents said that they were almost never more than 5 feet away from their phone.

Some of us are guilty of being “addicted” to our phones. Freshman students Kayla Jugan, Annie Tran and Hailey Moya all agree.

“My phone has many memories so I keep it close to me so I don’t lose all of that,” Tran said.

People tend to have their phones right next to them either on their desk when doing work or in their pocket when walking around. Most people don’t freak out because they know their phone is in reach and can grab it whenever. But a panic sets in if it’s not where it’s supposed to be.

“A phone is like another part of you,” Tran said. “You put all your important information, the people you love, photos, so it contains many memories you don’t want to lose.”

However, some people manage to adjust not having a phone and focus on filling their time with activities that have been rendered obsolete from the rise of phones.

“When I lost my phone it gave me more of an opportunity to actually pick up a book and study more,” Jugan said. “I’d actually walk to my friends’ houses more and hang out face-to-face instead of just texting them.”

Phones aren’t always all bad though. People use them for work and school, and in dangerous situations, they can be used for emergencies.But people are often concentrated on their phone, even at inappropriate times. About 330,000 injuries occur each year due to driving and texting, according to Edgar Snyder & Associates. Sometimes we should just look up from our devices and see what opportunities we have outside of a screen.

“I miss out on actually talking to my friends face to face instead of just texting them,” Jugan said.

It is important to find a balance when it comes to phone usage.

“Sometimes I just like to put my phone down once and awhile,” Tran said.