The average college student dreads one recurring nuisance, often unavoidable and widely disliked by young adults: downtime. The loathed and maddeningly persistent phenomenon is categorized as a flaw in scheduling, a lack of company or even a detrimental reflection of our social livelihoods.
The epidemic of doom scrolling and bed rotting plagues Gen Z, yet we find comfort in boredom but lack an optimistic outlook on the matter. So, what do we do when we have nothing to do?
The consensus is still out on the matter: Is this an issue caused by the hyper-digital world we thrive in, or is this an issue because of the toxic nature of our online lives?
According to a public poll by Harmony Healthcare IT, the average Gen Z American spends more than six hours on their phone daily. Although this number is seemingly moderate, consider the outliers in this data. What amount of time are they spending online?
Our deep-rooted societal predicament is the blatant aversion to anything anti-digital – anything not including the implementation of a screen.
We have shifted from a culture that once enjoyed the idea of a lazy Sunday afternoon to an abysmal culture of binge-streaming our favorite shows. Don’t get me wrong – I even dabble in the occasional binge-watch; however, how do we stray from our digital overconsumption and romanticize the freedom of having nothing to do?
When you think about this argument in a larger perspective, we are a generation that detests the idea of starting something new or taking a risk that could potentially fail: we are the generation that has little to no hobbies.
I don’t consider myself a romantic poet, urging you to look outside and return to our inherent planet with glee, yet there is an obvious disconnect between our generation and worldly interests.
We would rather stick to the same undying schedule: go to work, go to school, return from both and doom scroll the internet, daydream about lives we wish we had.
What if, by accepting our unhealthy digital habits, we confront our conformities? How many artists, poets or musicians could be plainly hiding behind the paralyzing screens of TikTok keyboards or Instagram Reels that only get more concerning with each swipe?
Can we become a generation of moderation: pick appropriate times to melt our gray matter, and focus on creating new habits, new hobbies and new practices.
As an avid reader, I end my days with a section of a chapter of whatever novel I’m currently devouring, but could I extend that to my downtime in between classes?
We all lack habitual perfection on an individual level, yet we are given the opportunity to re-evaluate and create new norms.
Denounce the doom scrolling and the brain-rotting routines we fall into so seamlessly and simply, and embrace the right to try new things that offer more than instant gratification.