Y’all know iPad kids? The kids with the snot all over their hands, spreading a thin film across the touchscreen while eating their mac and cheese?

Yeah, so that was me for a solid era of my life. I am the oldest of four siblings, and the moment my parents felt they could occupy my time with something other than them, they gave me some form of screen. By the time my little sister was born in 2012, I was heavily invested in the Minecraft Pocket Edition and the YouTube Kids scene.

And that’s fine, although some of my close friends may disagree, I think that I turned out alright. Now, this doesn’t stop me from worrying about the next generation and the influx of short-form content that has been made mainstream in recent years.

Every UNA student has probably heard of TikTok, Instagram Reels, Youtube Shorts, Snapchat Spotlight, and may even have all of these platforms. From what I understand, social media has plateaued and has found the most engaging format to keep our attention for as long as possible. These systems are designed to be as addicting as possible.

It’s not our fault, it is not the company’s fault, it’s simply the way stockholders hold these companies accountable to continue to be more and more profitable. Under these circumstances, we’ve been made less valuable than the information we provide in this ever-changing consistently engaging environment.

So what can we do about it? For starters, I heavily recommend downloading an app like One Sec for iPhone to help monitor your social media intake and shut down impulsive opens. This app allows you to use Apple Shortcuts to block a social media app and instead engage in a breathing exercise, journaling, or a short opportunity to bring you into the moment.

Another step I have taken is also getting a charging stand instead of a cord. This has been surprisingly effective in limiting my doomscrolling and gives me a higher quality of sleep.

For those willing to go the extra mile to stay off your screen, products like Brick allow people to lock their phone with a physical device, allowing people to only access the tools your phone provides instead of wasting time on social media.

I know that this opinion piece isn’t exactly artistic, but I felt it was important to share these options to limit screen time and live more in the present.