Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok might be some apps you’re using more than usual lately during quarantine due to COVID-19. Students at North High School have more time on their hands with DMPS closings, which also means more time sitting at home with phones in their hands. 

One way to see how many hours you’ve spent on your phone all together is through Apple’s iPhone Screen Time feature. If you don’t have an iPhone, no worries, you can choose a screen time app through the Google Play Store and start from there. 

With Apple’s Screen Time feature, you can see the average time spent on your phone during the week or even by the day. It will also rank your most used apps below your weekly average and put them into categories. 

Isaac Saldana, a senior at North High says it’s bound that the average screen time for students will increase during quarantine. “Screen time will go up because everyone is just sitting at home with nothing to do,” Saldana said. His screen time averages around 10 hours per day and his most used app is Facebook. 

However, junior Reuben David defies the typical answer as his screen time keeps going down by at least 20% every week. “I’ve been practicing my guitar a lot, so I haven’t really been on my phone that much,” he stated. David’s weekly average is around 7 hours a day with Snapchat being his most used app. 

On the other hand, sophomore Carizma Guggisberg’s screen time has gone up by 10% the past few weeks due to schools closing. “My average has gone up because I don’t have a lot to do in quarantine, besides work, so I’m on my phone for a lot of it,” she said. Along with Reuben David, Guggisberg’s most used app is Snapchat with a weekly average of around 8 hours and 30 minutes a day. 

When being on your phone for numerous hours a week, taking ownership of your actions can be a different lifestyle. In this case, freshman Talia Alexander is making a change to her phone use after realizing how much time she spends on it. “I watch a lot of YouTube and Netflix on my phone and I know I shouldn’t be on my phone as much as I should be, so I’ve been putting my phone down more to sleep,” she stated. Alexander’s weekly average is around 7 hours a day, however it goes down 24% a week when she puts her phone down to sleep. 

No matter which apps you use, screen time will track every moment your phone is on. It’s easy to check, fun to look at and compare with friends. On top of that, if you need to lower your screen time each day, your screen time will check your progress from the day you set it up on your device.