Alum Returns to Discuss Book with Upper School

With the first semester behind them, the Upper School gathered for Reorientation Day. After a day giving back to the community at Civic Lab Fieldwork Day and a workshop focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, Head of Upper School Cory Zeller and Dean of Student Life Joe Bruno ended the day with a talk focusing on improving students’ mental states.

With that in mind, they brought in alum Jackson Antonow ’22 to talk about his book Enemy in Your Pocket: How Using Your Phone Less Will Change Your Life and How to Do It. As a Parker student, he had everything going for him—a loving family, a great group of friends and all the trappings of a “normal” life—but almost always felt underlying anxiety and inadequacy. Entering college, he was hopeful these feelings would dissipate over time, but they lingered after the first semester of his freshman year. Antonow then started to realize the toll his phone was taking on him. He said, “Social media made me feel like my every moment was ‘less than,’ and constant notifications made me feel like I always had something to do. The combination of both these factors made me incredibly anxious and unhappy.” Antonow decided to try decreasing his phone use throughout the second semester of his freshman year. After several months modifying his behaviors, he was surprised by the results and shared, “My life completely changed. My anxiety and depressive feelings dissipated, while my academics, energy, relationships and how I felt about myself all improved to the point where it feels I am living in a different reality.”

Antonow wanted to share this goal of helping others break the cycle of screen addiction and describing the issues that exist with social media and phone usage from a younger person’s point of view. He added, “I hope by explaining the issue from the perspective of someone who has been addicted to their phone since the age of 12 and understands what it’s like to be made to feel constantly anxious and inadequate, I can better resonate with younger groups.”

The Upper School was able to consider this powerful talk and its fresh outlook as they move forward with the anxieties and pressures of second semester.

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