by Sophie Oliver ’26
The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the writer and do not reflect the views of University School of Nashville or the Peabody Press.
Some believe that social media can have dangerous effects on people’s mental health by causing depression, anxiety, cyberbullying, and other mental issues. There are numerous students at USN who use social media as a part of their everyday life, including myself, without knowing what it can cause.
Detoxing from social media gives anyone a break from the different stresses it can cause. It allows people to form stronger connections with others around them since they are not preoccupied by their phone. It also can enable people to get more sleep because they will not be scrolling on their phone for hours, and since people stare at their phones by scrolling on social media, detoxing from social media would reduce eye strains and strain-related headaches.
A few weeks ago, Matthew Haber, dean of 11th and 12th grades & HS history teacher, sent an email to a few student leaders in the hopes of leading a Social Media Detox Day at USN.
“I… just said- ‘Hey. This is an issue I’m thinking about. I think social media can create a lot of problems, and I was wondering if there’s anyone who would be interested in thinking about that issue,” Haber said.
Haber received a few replies—notably from Cleo Gauthier ‘24, Caroline Quinones ‘24, and Kate Vaughn ‘24. Those students became the leaders of Social Media Detox Day. Having a Detox Day at USN was very important to Haber.
Haber says that he worries about the effects social media can have on a person’s mental health and well-being. Many students use social media in their everyday lives, and this day gives everyone a chance for a break. It also allows us to communicate face to face.
“There’s a growing body of research that says that social media can have really harmful effects on young people, and that has aligned with my lived experience here at school. I’ve seen the way students interact with each other has changed over the years, and I just worry about the student communication,” Haber said.
Participants in Social Media Detox Day get a sticker at the beginning of the day, signifying that they are choosing to give up social media for the day. There are a couple opportunities for these students to convene without the presence of screens during the day, including games during lunch and going to a classroom at the end of the day to receive donuts or ice cream.
Many students enjoy these times in the day. They allow you to hang out with friends without staring at screens, and students are also able to interact with people in different grades. It is a fun way to meet new people while playing games and eating sweets.
“I really enjoy being able to connect with people of different grades in a relaxed environment, because I don’t feel like I have a lot of interaction with those people otherwise,” one student said in a survey issued by the Peabody Press.
Many students who participated in Social Media Detox Day have found it beneficial. One student wrote that they like the challenge of not being on social media, and many said that having a Detox Day helps them engage with their environment more.
Blaise Seale ‘26 said, “I can’t really think of any cons. You’re pulling away from social media for just a day, and kind of understand what life is like without it.”
I have also taken part in Social Media Detox Day twice. The first week I did it I gave up pretty quickly. I am used to being on social media everyday, so it was difficult for me to give that up. Not being on any social media apps made me feel like I was missing out on so much. I also didn’t participate in the detox activities that were available throughout that day. The next day I wished I had tried a bit harder to detox. I remembered the presentation shown at the assembly that stated all of the effects social media can have on a person’s mental health, and I wondered if I would feel more relaxed if I did detox.
The second week, I committed to the challenge of staying off social media. I received a sticker in the morning, went to play games during lunch, and got an ice cream sandwich at the end of the day. I found it helpful to stay off social media because I was relieved from its various pressures—comparison, constant updates, or overstimulation—during the school day. A couple of my friends detoxed with me. It was beneficial for all of us to be present and talk together without distractions from our phones.
Taking a break from the harmful effects of social media has gotten students to communicate with each other in person more and appreciate their surrounding environment.
