Early last week, 3rd formers in Dell Village gathered for a meeting and were told that their cell phones would now be gathered two times throughout the night – at the start of study hall and before lights out.

Third formers’ phones will be put into charging stations on each hall, and students will be provided with alarm clocks. This system will be in place each day of the week except for Saturday nights.

“I think it’s a  good thing that they are implementing,” Priyanka Dondeti ’19, a 3rd form prefect in Scheerer, said. “Even though the freshman don’t like it right now, in the long term it will have a good effect.”

The ports sit outside of the prefects’ room in each dorm and students are expected to turn their phones in on their own. If phones are not in the ports, demerits are issued. Phones are turned in from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. during study hall and 3rd formers then have an hour with their devices before lights out.

“It doesn’t really change anything for me except that it’s one more thing to do before lights out,” Tess Gray ’21, who lives in Lowndes, said. “I wouldn’t go on my phone anyways after lights out, so really it doesn’t change anything.”

Administration decided to take away cellular devices this summer due to studies that confirmed staying up late makes waking up and performing well in class “very difficult.”

“We know from our work over the years, and especially since our focus on social media last winter/spring and again this fall, that phones are a distraction,” wrote Jennifer Lagor, assistant headmaster of student life, in an email. “Many third formers reported being on their phones after hours which detracts from good attention in class. Sleep is key to success.”

The alarm clocks and phone ports were supposed to be put into effect in 3rd form dorms at the beginning of the school year, but because of a backorder in the system that delayed the arrival of the alarm clocks, the system is just now being put into dorms. This has caused some distress amongst the 3rd form.

“I don’t personally like it because I feel like we should be given that freedom to make mistakes,” Bess McAlpin ’21 said. “if I stay up all night on my phone and do poorly on a test the next day, then I know not to do that again.”

While Head of Dell Village, Andy Bessette, was presenting the idea to the four Dell dorms, he mentioned that there is currently no finalized timeline on the plan as to when the charging ports will be taken away. The ports are currently anticipated to stay in the dorms for the remainder of the school year.