As a clinical psychologist, Shreya (Patel) Hessler, M.S. ’00, Psy.D. ’03, has noticed a concerning trend: young people becoming increasingly disconnected from their peers, professors, and other human beings. Driving this shift is the replacement of face-to-face interactions with digital communication and an overreliance on technology.

“All the nuances required in human connection are essentially eliminated with text exchanges,” shared Hessler. “It’s almost like Gen Z has been the forgotten generation. They were the digital natives but have been left to their own devices to figure out how to be human again.”

An affiliate faculty member in psychology at Loyola, Hessler developed a class centered on intentional digital use. The course, first offered in fall 2025, involves digital fasts—intentional breaks from screens—and emphasizes creativity, play, and boredom.

The special topics class—which Hessler believes is the only one of its kind in the country—quickly filled with students eager to change their relationship with technology. Throughout the course, students participated in analog activities that pulled them out of their usual routines like reading books, taking nature walks, and even playing flag football on the Quad.

Amaya Cunningham, ’26, a pre-med student double majoring in biology and psychology, enrolled hoping to learn material she could apply both academically and personally.

“I’ve always had a bit of guilt around how much I’m on my phone or on my computer—just being online and not in person,” said Cunningham.

Hessler recalled the first two weeks, when students hesitated to limit device use before leaning into discomfort and relearning how to disconnect and engage on a human level.

“One of my students said they almost felt like they lost permission a long time ago to have fun,” said Hessler. “College is hard work, but it also needs to be about building skills for community and relationships.”

At the course’s conclusion, each student presented a “digital manifesto” outlining how they planned to apply what they had learned, with many committing to more intentional technology use.

“I think our generation relies a lot on being online to relax, which actually does the opposite of what you want it to do,” Cunningham said. “To really relax requires being analog and being off your phone.”