Dr. Jessica A. Johnson

If you proposed a challenge to Gen Z college students to discard their smartphones while they are pursuing their degrees, how many do you think would take you up on it? Well, some students at Steubenville, Ohio's Franciscan University, a Catholic institution, are doing just that. They have made a significant choice to focus on their faith in God, prayer and their in-person relationships with their peers.

Last year, Franciscan alumni came up with the idea of "unplugged scholarships" to encourage students to put away their phones for their four years of matriculation through college. A Fox News religion report shared that 30 students initially received the scholarships and another 50, who are not getting aid, decided to participate. This story was very encouraging to read as students will be taking a long hiatus from the truncated communication of texting and the attention-soaking apps of YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. Of course, they will still have to call home, so they most likely have landline phones in their dorm rooms, a classic throwback to the '90s when their parents were in school. Perhaps some will even take up the long-lost art of letter writing and purchase personalized stationery on Etsy.

Putting aside my nostalgic thoughts of past methods of communicating, I truly believe that the Franciscan students opting to "unplug" from their freshman to senior years will have a phenomenal encounter with God. There are many promises in Scripture regarding personal and spiritual fulfillment from diligently pursuing the Lord that include receiving rest, peace, hope, strength, satisfaction and wisdom.

Rest and peace are two things that many Gen Zers particularly struggle with, as studies continue to reveal that this generation is in the midst of a critical mental health battle. A 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey published in February found that mental health issues were increasing among high school students, with 42% of the respondents reporting feeling "persistently sad or hopeless," 22% confessing to "seriously (considering) suicide" and 10% sharing they tried to end their lives. The CDC breakdown by gender showed that the percentage of girls who felt extreme emotions of sadness and hopelessness in this study was nearly double the rate of boys, 57% to 29%, respectively.

Social media use and smartphones have been linked to steadily intensifying levels of anxiety and depression, and I would not be surprised if the Franciscan students believe that this extended break from their smartphones will be good for their mental health. In a Pew Research Center survey released this month, more than half of the teens in their 1,316 sample size said that they would have difficulty giving up social media, as most of them spend a lot of their time primarily on YouTube and TikTok. Some of the Franciscan students would probably have similar responses to the Pew survey as their younger Gen Z peers, and being in college without a smartphone will take some adjustment.

By choosing to devote more time to prayer and place God at the center of their lives, the Franciscan students are displaying keen awareness in unplugging themselves from the culture of social media that often depresses young people due to them comparing themselves to influencers, lacking meaningful friendships and being bullied. There is a lot of pressure on girls to have a perfect body image and be popular with lots of friends and followers, while many boys tend to hide behind a guise of toughness. Worldly standards and values will always convey to young people that they must incessantly hustle to be smart enough and good enough, and for girls, that they must always strive to meet a fleeting criterion of beauty. Trying to measure up to these disingenuous benchmarks takes an incredible toll mentally and emotionally.

I'm sure that the Franciscan students are well aware of what many of their peers are going through with the negative effects of social media. As they put down their smartphones and get to know God and their classmates better, one of the scriptures that many of them will probably meditate on during their quiet time is Philippians 4:7, which says that the peace of God "(passes) all understanding" and will "keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Peace and a restful heart and mind are what so many young people are desperately searching for today, and the Franciscan students are on a committed path in pursuing these spiritual attributes. I have no doubt that their unplugging experience will be incredibly rewarding.

Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JjSmojc.

Photo by Simon Maage on Unsplash