Phones Down, Friends Up

My core friend group throughout college enjoys hanging out and being present for each other. Technology nowadays is readily available to us. However overuse of it, especially in my generation, inevitably leads to social isolation. I first noticed this when my friends and I were together and I looked up to see us all staring down at our phones. Of course there are times where we get lost in our phones and are comfortable in our silence together. Which is a valuable part of a true friendship. But, in order to fully appreciate our connections, I initiated the idea “Phones Down, Friends Up.” What started towards the end of our freshmen year continues with us today and encourages us to live in the moment.

In the Fall of 2024, my senior thesis class gave us the opportunity to create our own independent projects. With no specific guidelines or directions, this was the perfect moment to bring Phones Down, Friends Up to life. My multimedia project, which included a film, digital art posters, stickers, and merchandise, culminated in a final exhibition at Marist College.