Teens are adjusting to the smartphone ban

Summary

New York City students are one week into the statewide phone ban. Gothamist reporters checked in with teens across the district to see how they are adapting. Here's how they are handling their disconnected days.Lower-tech lifePolaroids, walkie-talkies and decks of cards: New York City teens said these are some of the hot items circulating in schools now that the statewide smartphone ban is in effect.Alia Soliman, a senior at Bronx Science, said cards “are making a big comeback.” She said kids are playing poker when they’re done with their work in some classes. Fellow students reported a surge in Uno.“It seems to be very fun and engaging,” Soliman said.She said members of the senior class are using vintage devices to capture memories and milestones.“I’ve seen some of my friends bring in digicams,” Soliman said. “A lot of people are bringing in Polaroids.”She’s looking into whether an MP3 player would be allowed in school to listen to while she studies.“I’ll test the waters,” she said.In Manhattan, Ethan Myer, a senior at Union Square Academy, said the ban is also helping kids get their steps in.“Most people are just walking around the hall, because there's not really much else to do,” Myer said. "Some people are talking a bit more, which I guess was the goal.”Jem Bryant, a junior at Gramercy Arts High School, also near Union Square, is daydreaming more.“I don't really have a lot of friends in classes,” Bryant said. “So when they say ‘do your classwork’ and I'm already done, I literally just have to sit there and stare at the wall.”Soliman said she was opposed to the ban at first, and she’s concerned that she won’t be able to work on her college applications during downtime at school, but she sees some positives.“I’m still not thrilled,” she said. “But people are reading more. The younger kids are socializing more.”Peter Schmidt-Nowara, a teacher and dean at Brooklyn Tech, said the hallways and lunchroom are louder, in a good way.“It was muted,” he said. “It’s really ...