Brooke Williams, 22, replaced her iPhone with an internet-free flip phone in March, slashing daily screen time from more than nine hours to 20 minutes.
Williams said the switch came after she realized online image-curation mattered more to her than real-life well-being; she now keeps the internet at a distance and uses reading, paper notes and face-to-face conversation instead.
46% of teens said they were online almost constantly in 2025, Pew found, yet a 2024 study showed more than a third had already cut back and 72% felt peaceful without their smartphone.
Kent State and University of Akron experts said the goal is balance rather than total disconnection, with tactics such as putting phones out of reach, printing work and avoiding screens early in the day.
Other Ohio students described similar efforts to reduce scrolling, reflecting a broader Gen Z push toward digital detoxes and more offline social connection.