After several months under Hun’s new phone policy, students and teachers alike are reflecting on how the change has shaped classroom focus and social life. The school’s phone policy, implemented at the start of this year as a wellness initiative, has become part of everyday life, shaping how students interact, focus, and even organize their schedules.
Dr. Bayazitoglu, an English teacher at Hun, believes the policy reinforces something deeper than discipline. “It’s not a radical change, but it reinforces what we’re trying to achieve in the classroom, being present and being engaged.”
He noted that the greatest impact isn’t necessarily academic, but rather social.
“There is more natural social interaction without the phones, especially in public spaces like the Global Commons and dining hall.”
Still, not everyone sees the change as a win.
William C., a senior at Hun, said that not having his phone “causes a lot of issues and headaches” when it comes to keeping track of his schedule or staying updated on school events.
He doubts the policy improves focus, saying, “It limits our abilities as students and prohibits us from using phones in ways that assist our learning.”
On the other hand, some students have found benefits with the phone free environment.
Soham G., a junior, shared that it’s helped him “stay focused, talk to people more, and be more actively present throughout the day.”
What at first seemed to be a difficult adaptation has, for him, become a positive shift at Hun. He adds, “People are talking more, paying attention, and overall it feels a bit more connected.”
Other students fall somewhere in between the feelings on the policy.
Zoe K., a junior, admitted the policy has made her “more productive” when it comes to schoolwork, but also
“more distant from friends” because it’s harder to communicate during the day.
Adrian P., a freshman, said it “hasn’t affected a lot,” though he’s noticed that “people talk more” and “do more work rather than go on their phone.”
Ananya Rao, a junior, agreed, adding that she now talks “to friends more during frees, flex, and lunch,” even if she found the first few weeks frustrating.
If nothing else, Hun’s experiment in going phone free shows that sometimes, disconnecting is exactly what it takes to reconnect.
