health
March 13, 2026
Get the 'slot machine apps off your phone,' NYU professor tells Gen Z—his best advice for staying off your phone
At a fireside chat about NYU's latest initiative, NYU IRL, "The Anxious Generation" author Jonathan Haidt advised Gen Z to delete social media off their phones.
TL;DR
- NYU professor Jonathan Haidt wants to bring fun back to college by helping students be more present.
- He believes smartphones and social media have made campus life more tense, leading to fear of being 'canceled.'
- Haidt's advice for Gen Z includes deleting 'slot machine apps' (social media) from phones, using them only on desktops if necessary.
- He recommends establishing healthy morning and nighttime routines that avoid phone use immediately upon waking or before sleep.
- Turning off most notifications, except for essential functions like maps and basic texting, is another key recommendation.
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