Are you social or nocial?

You’re nocial
Uh-oh, nocial alert. “Some students use their smart phone as a way to cope with [uncomfortable] social situations,” says Dr. Fjola Helgadottir, a psychologist at Oxford University, UK. “As a result…you miss out on an opportunity to confront your fear, which is the best way to improve.” In a recent survey by Student Health 101, close to one in five respondents admitted to checking their phone multiple times on a movie date.

Tips…

• Before your date, wrap a thick rubber band around your phone. If you reach for it, the rubber band will act as a tactile reminder to leave your phone alone.
• “When [your date’s] phone is down and away, make a positive comment about how refreshing it is to not have phones out,” says Lauren D., a second-year graduate student at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
• Keep your phone turned off so you’re reminded not to use it except in emergencies.

You’re social
Congrats, you’re social.

Tips…

• Before your date, wrap a thick rubber band around your phone. If you reach for it, the rubber band will act as a tactile reminder to leave your phone alone.
• “When [your date’s] phone is down and away, make a positive comment about how refreshing it is to not have phones out,” says Lauren D., a second-year graduate student at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
• Keep your phone turned off so you’re reminded not to use it except in emergencies.

You're nocial
Guess what, you’re being nocial—you and 30 percent of the students who responded to our survey. Research shows that being around other people in person makes us happier than being alone. When you’re happy, you can make other people happier too, according to a 2008 study by researchers at Harvard University.

Tips…

• Make the change. “Creating a true bond can only be achieved through true connection. Eye contact, body language, and the warmth of physical contact are the most authentic forms of connection between humans,” says Sophia S., a part-time student taking online courses at Wake Technical Community College in North Carolina.
• Play the phone stack game. “When out to dinner with a group of friends, you can turn it into a game where the first person to check their phone has to buy a round of drinks or an appetizer,” says Derek S., a third-year graduate student at University of the Pacific in California. Come up with consequences for other situations.

You're social
And your life is richer for it.

Tips…

• Make the change. “Creating a true bond can only be achieved through true connection. Eye contact, body language, and the warmth of physical contact are the most authentic forms of connection between humans,” says Sophia S., a part-time student taking online courses at Wake Technical Community College in North Carolina.
• Play the phone stack game. “When out to dinner with a group of friends, you can turn it into a game where the first person to check their phone has to buy a round of drinks or an appetizer,” says Derek S., a third-year graduate student at University of the Pacific in California. Come up with consequences for other situations.

You're nocial
Sharing positive experiences in person makes us happier in the long term, according to the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (2012). We don’t get the same level of social support via Facebook, a study in the Public Library of Science journal suggests (2013).

Tips…

• Long distance? Use Skype or FaceTime. “Face-to-face interactions beat out any other form, if possible. Skype or phone calls can be good substitutes,” says Jose V., a third-year graduate student at Northern Illinois University.
• Uninstall a social media app from your phone. You can still log on from your computer, but you won’t be constantly checking it when you’re out.

You're social
You’re social on this one, like three out of five students in our survey. “It’s a lot more fun seeing people’s real emotions and real reactions in person instead of online or via text,” says Itzayana E., a student at College of the Desert in California.

Tips…

• Long distance? Use Skype or FaceTime. “Face-to-face interactions beat out any other form, if possible. Skype or phone calls can be good substitutes,” says Jose V., a third-year graduate student at Northern Illinois University.
• Uninstall a social media app from your phone. You can still log on from your computer, but you won’t be constantly checking it when you’re out.

You're nocial
You’re a nocial night owl. In our survey, 3 in 4 students admitted to texting or checking social media in bed. You know it’s wrecking your sleep, right? And lack of sleep wrecks everything else. “Using a phone or a tablet sends a signal to your brain that says, ‘Hey, this is wake-up time,” says Dr. Shelley Hershner, director of the Collegiate Sleep Disorder Center at the University of Michigan.

Tips…

Place your phone out of reach overnight so both you and it can recharge. Airplane mode muffles notifications but not your alarm.

You're social
You’re keeping it old school—in the best way.

Tips…

Place your phone out of reach overnight so both you and it can recharge. Airplane mode muffles notifications but not your alarm.

You're nocial
One in three of our survey respondents chose this answer. Twenty-first century adults make eye contact 30–60 percent of the time during a conversation, according to data from Quantified Communications. To make an emotional connection, we need 60–70 percent eye contact.

Tips…

• Become a phone-free role model. “I have implemented a rule: no gadgets of any kind [in social situations]. I set the example and people are catching on. I’m using this to get over being uncomfortable looking people in the eye and in face-to-face conversation,” says Anna E., a recent graduate of West Liberty University School of Professional Studies, West Virginia.
• “Focus on your eyes in a mirror to practice eye contact. And if you randomly catch your reflection, rather than looking away, look at your eyes for five-plus seconds,” says Amy Nielson, a student at Western Washington University.

You're social
Keep your eyes on the prize. You’re being social.

Note: If holding eye contact is very distracting or uncomfortable for you, a momentary eye-connection every couple of minutes helps the other person know that you’re still part of the conversation.

Tips…

• Become a phone-free role model. “I have implemented a rule: no gadgets of any kind [in social situations]. I set the example and people are catching on. I’m using this to get over being uncomfortable looking people in the eye and in face-to-face conversation,” says Anna E., a recent graduate of West Liberty University School of Professional Studies, West Virginia.
• “Focus on your eyes in a mirror to practice eye contact. And if you randomly catch your reflection, rather than looking away, look at your eyes for five-plus seconds,” says Amy Nielson, a student at Western Washington University.

You're nocial
Definitely nocial, like one in three students who took our survey. In a 2013 study, more than 80 percent of students acknowledged that their gadgets interfere with their learning, and one in four said this hurts their grades, according to the Journal of Media Education.

Tips…

• Start simple. “Make jokes. Don't be afraid to jump into conversations or simply start out by introducing yourself and asking the name of others,“ says Erhabor E., an online student at Montgomery College in Maryland. Before-class mingling can help you make friends in class. Similarly, getting to know your colleagues can make collaborating on projects easier down the road.
• Take initiative. “Simply start a conversation. I've heard people complain about how it's hard to meet people, but how many of them were the first to say, ‘Hey, how's it going?’ to someone else? The more initiative you take, the more opportunities and chances you will have at connecting with others. Don't ever underestimate the power of a smile and eye contact,” says Krista M., a second-year graduate student at the University of New Mexico.

You're social
You’re a double winner, socially and academically.

Tips…

• Start simple. “Make jokes. Don't be afraid to jump into conversations or simply start out by introducing yourself and asking the name of others,“ says Erhabor E., an online student at Montgomery College in Maryland. Before-class mingling can help you make friends in class. Similarly, getting to know your colleagues can make collaborating on projects easier down the road.
• Take initiative. “Simply start a conversation. I've heard people complain about how it's hard to meet people, but how many of them were the first to say, ‘Hey, how's it going?’ to someone else? The more initiative you take, the more opportunities and chances you will have at connecting with others. Don't ever underestimate the power of a smile and eye contact,” says Krista M., a second-year graduate student at the University of New Mexico.