By Bella Stryker
Ding snapchat.
Ding messages.
Ding snapchat groupchat.
Ding duolingo. (How’s your spanish studying going?)
Ding snapchat groupchat.
Ding snapchat groupchat.
Ding snapchat groupchat.
…
Ding snapchat.
Ding
Ding
Ding
Ding
*Phone goes on Do Not Disturb*
Our phones are constantly going off. The social media age is defined by it. Constant notifications, infinite scrolling, and digital overload— its overwhelming and we don’t even realize it.
A report by Common Sense Media in 2023 found that the majority of participants received more than 237 notifications a day. Breaking down the math, this comes out to 1 notification every six minutes over a 24 hour period. If you shorten those notifications to 12 waking hours, its 1 notification every 3 minutes.
We literally cannot ignore our phones for longer than 180 seconds.
Matilda Small, a senior CCPA major, acknowledges this. “I’m addicted to my phone” she texted me out of the blue one afternoon a few days ago, “I hate it.”
Our phones demand constant attention for digital connection. And every time we cave and check our screen, our brains get a hit of dopamine—a reward system that’s wired to keep us hooked. If you interested in learning more about the exact science behind this check out The Social Dilemma (2020). It explains how social media platforms are deliberately designed to trigger dopamine hits and keep users hooked. Former insiders like Tristan Harris (ex-Google design ethicist) and Justin Rosenstein (co-creator of the Facebook Like button) reveal how features like notifications, infinite scroll, and “likes” were engineered to exploit the brain’s reward system.
The exploitation of this reward system causes people to tired, burnt out and overstimulated. As a result, young people are looking for ways to reset their brains—and their lives. You might already be doing it without even realizing why. A few examples:
- Deleting TikTok “because it distracts you too much”
- Putting time limits on apps to “spend more time in the present”
- Finding hobbies that don’t require digital connection
- Ice baths to regulate your nervous system
You may have also heard about these fixes from the popular term “dopamine detox” or just pop culture in general. (Check out Emma Chamberlain’s podcast episode on it here) Vogue did an article on dopamine detox (read here) and it’s also a trend on TikTok.
An extension of this trend is a return to analog hobbies (activities that don’t involve screens, apps, or digital technology). For some students, the answer isn’t just deleting apps — it’s picking up a needle and thread. Needlepoint, sewing, crochet, and other “grandma hobbies” are booming among Gen Z as a way to slow down, focus, and create something tangible.
Grace Herbarger, a junior Biomedical Physiology Major at the University of Georgia, said “I have always thought needlepoint is so relaxing! I love that it gives me something to do with my hands, and yet I can still watch TV or carry a conversation while I stitch.”
A fellow needlepoint-er, SMU freshman Ava Hunt agreed. “It’s a great way to unwind at the end of the day because it’s very calming and I use it as a good relaxing, anti-stress activity.”
SMU senior Nicole Crivelli is needlepointing in lieu of being on her phone. “Instead of scrolling I pick up my canvas.” (Crivelli even has an instagram account dedicated to her creations— check her out at @nickyknax)
When asked her thoughts on analog hobbies Crivelli added “I love an analog hobby—I make butter and some of my friends make sourdough!”
Maybe it’s not about quitting our phones entirely. Maybe it’s about choosing when—and how—we plug back in. As SMU sophomore Lauren Middleton observed, “younger generations are starting to partake in older hobbies,” and it’s not hard to see why. As Gen Z trades mindless scrolling for needlepoint, sourdough starters, and other analog joys, one thing is clear: slowing down isn’t just a trend. It’s becoming a survival skill.
