BU Unplugged is a Student Wellbeing cross-campus initiative designed to create intentional, structured spaces for BU students to disconnect from their devices and reconnect with each other. Through phone-free events in classrooms and campus-based programs, BU Unplugged invites students to experience what becomes possible when they put their phones away, while normalizing how hard it can be to disconnect. Whether it’s a shared meal, a creative activity, a class discussion, or simply time with friends, BU Unplugged is built on a simple belief: some of life’s best moments happen when we’re fully present for them.
BU students have told us clearly: they want space to unplug
In a 2024 brief published by the National Center for Health Statistics, half of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 spent four or more hours on screens per day. Of students who spend greater than four hours, they are more likely to experience anxiety and depression than their peers1. Smart phone use among university students has also been linked to sleep deprivation, attention deficits, and social challenges — three of the most commonly reported barriers to student success and wellbeing2.
And BU students themselves are paying attention. They recognize the value phones play in day-to-day life , but are also attuned to how disconnecting can be beneficial for their health and their relationships. In a Summer 2026 survey conducted by BU Student Wellbeing, students reported the following benefits of putting down their phones:
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79% increased sleep
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71% increased presence in day-to-day life
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66% increased social connection
BU Unplugged meets students where they are, acknowledging the very real role technology plays in their lives, while creating low-pressure, rewarding opportunities to experience something different. BU Unplugged answers that demand with structure, community, and a simple mechanic: the Yondr pouch-a lockable phone storage pouch students carry with them — but cannot open without a magnet operated by staff. It removes the opportunity to check phones by removing the option, freeing students to be fully present. This transforms the abstract idea of unplugging into a concrete, shared, and supported experience. BU Unplugged will run in classes and events where students will be invited to place their phone in a pouch, then engage phone-free in real-life community building activities
This Fall, Student Wellbeing will partner with folks across colleges and departments to bring BU Unplugged to our students. Want to have students unplug at your next event or class? Submit your request here!
Here are some of the places you’ll find BU Unplugged in Fall 2026:
- Saturday, August 29: New Terrier Orientation
- Monday, September 21 – Monday, November 2: Breath, Rhythm & Music for Your Wellbeing
- Thursday, October 1: LGBTQIA+ History Kickoff Celebration
- Friday, October 9: Coffee & Conversation at the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground
- Tuesday, October 13: First-Gen Crafts and Connections
- Tuesday, October 20: GradGather Social at Sunset Cantina
- Thursday, October 29: LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center Halloween Paint-or-Treat
1. Zablotsky B, Arockiaraj B, Haile G, Ng AE. Daily screen time among teenagers: United States, July 2021–December 2023. NCHS Data Brief, no 513. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2024.
2. Silva Santos, R. M., Ventura, S. de A., Nogueira, Y. J. de A., Mendes, C. G., Miranda, D. M. de, & Romano-Silva, M. A. (2026). The associations between screen time and mental health in older adults: a systematic review. Behaviour & Information Technology, 45(10), 1989–2006.