Because I belong to Generation Z, I only care about my phone. Or, at least, that’s what the older generations have drilled into my head. I used to take offense to this, as I found it condescending and untrue, but if there’s one epiphany I’ve had this past year during the COVID pandemic, it’s that tragedy and hardship can bring out the worst in people. And for my generation, I guess that means an addiction to our phones.

On March 13, 2020, I received a text telling me that school would close temporarily due to rising COVID-19 numbers in our area. Our classes shifted to Zoom and our sports and activities canceled. In the space of 24 hours, it seemed like the whole world had been thrust into chaos. My generation did what we do best; we got on our phones.

Later that spring I found myself on Instagram - a lot. I was bombarded with posts from my peers telling everyone to stay inside and make safe choices (#weareallinthistogether). It became apparent that none of us would go back to school anytime soon. 

As spring turned to summer, I turned to TikTok. There’s nothing like scrolling through other peoples’ 60-second dramas to distract you from the fact that you haven’t left your bedroom in 5 days. As the weather warmed up, I downloaded a selection of multiplayer games on my phone, using every last bit of my precious data storage. But it was worth it. Sitting socially distanced in my backyard playing Among Us and Minecraft with my two best friends was about the most excitement I could get. 

Once my sophomore year started, I became nostalgic for the early days of the pandemic as Snapchat started sending me flashback photo memories of long family walks and attempts to take up a new quarantine hobby.  

Now, in the spring of 2021, I find myself scrolling endlessly on Twitter, reading post after post from anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists, and ignorant people who want to divide our country. I see a variety of opinions, coming from Millennials to Gen Xers to Baby Boomers; my elders who I’m supposed to look up to and revere. Their words are harsh and sometimes I need to turn off my phone altogether because the excessive negativity can be too much to handle. Although I should probably feel hopeful that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, I can’t help but feel that my generation is being handed a broken world and that it will be up to us to fix it.  

So, if the worst you can say about my generation is that we’re addicted to our phones, I guess that’s fair, but it seems like a minor transgression compared to the shattered society that older generations have left in our lap.