“"Mobile Phone-Free Week" at Dr. José dos Santos Bessa Primary and Secondary School

Nowadays, it's difficult for us young people to imagine our lives without a mobile phone. We're always connected to it, watching videos or sending messages, in short, doing "things we need to do." However, the Week without a cell phone At the Dr. Santos Bessa Elementary School (EB 2,3), we realized how much our lives depend on this device and that there is much more to life outside of screens.

On the one hand, I felt like I went back to being who I was before I had a cell phone, since I talked more with my friends without distractions, and even paid more attention in class. Without my cell phone, I was able to focus better on the activities I was doing and also made better use of my free time. It was like going back in time and realizing that life doesn't depend on a screen!

Furthermore, this week allowed us to relive games we hadn't played in a long time. During recess, instead of being glued to our phones, we played hopscotch, tag, and even controlled tires with a stick, and especially, we talked more to each other, which, for me, was the most important thing. It was good to remember how much fun we had before we even knew what a cell phone was. I realized that playing outside and spending time with friends is much more fun than spending hours looking at a cell phone.

In conclusion, this experience was very important for the whole school. It showed us that we can live without that device and that life is better when we are not constantly connected to a screen. Perhaps it's not necessary to give up our cell phones forever, but I think we can try to use them less and enjoy more time with the people around us.

João Costa, 8th Grade A