Throughout the school day, I consistently see people on their phone when they’re not supposed to be, and I consistently see them getting in trouble for it.

Is it truly that hard to put down your phone and focus on school? What is so important that you would sacrifice your GPA for it?

Just the other day, I saw a peer with earbuds in scrolling through Snapchat while the teacher was talking, and I must wonder: is it a coincidence that this student is failing the class?

I understand if you want a quick check for the time or if you’re done with your class work and you have the teacher’s permission to be on your phone, but your phone should be in your pocket if the teacher’s talking or there is work to be done.

I’ve also heard a lot of students push their bad grades onto the teacher and accuse him or her of being a bad mentor which typically isn’t true.

According to a study by Longwood University, students who used their cellphones for social media during class typically had significantly lower scores on the next test compared to the students who did not.

In general, phone usage during class is associated with decreased academic performance, and the widespread use of phones makes it an incredible nuisance for teachers to deal with.

Being the odd one out in the crowd does more than just help you focus on classwork; it increases your chances of being on the teacher’s good side which means you will have a better time in class.

If you lend your ears and eyes to the teacher instead of your phone, acquiring high A’s and B’s will get way easier.

Another thing I’ve heard from students is that if they aren’t supposed to have their phone, then take it away.

It’s not hard to take away one student’s phone, but when it becomes 20-30 students it’s a different story.

The teacher must constantly interrupt the learning environment to take a student’s phone away or simply tell a student to put their phone away.

I believe it’s best to just cooperate with the teacher and leave your phone in your pocket or, if you can’t resist the urge to use your phone, some teachers have boxes set up that you can leave your phone in until the end of class.

Constant phone usage also gets students into the bad habit of shortening words, using slang, and/or not using correct grammar. I’ve heard teachers complain about students writing or typing “i” instead of “I” more times than I ever should.

It’s also important to take into consideration that teachers don’t want to take your phone away. They understand just how essential they are to daily life nowadays, but there isn’t really any other choice if it’s causing you to get off track.

The teacher isn’t the problem, and you aren’t necessarily either. Your phone is the big issue.