What happened when teens tried out tech-free bedrooms?

What happened when teens tried out tech-free bedrooms?

A team of teenagers from Bradford, the 2025 UK City of Culture, decided to participate in a challenge where they removed all technology from their bedrooms for five days to test their resilience. Elizabeth, a thirteen-year-old who spends hours watching YouTube videos in her room, was one of the participants. She described her bedroom as her sanctuary and was willing to take on the challenge. Elizabeth’s father even made a bet with her, confident that she would not last the full five days without caving in to the temptation of bringing her phone back into her room.

The project was part of the Teen Summit, an annual event organized by Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize Study Support, which aims to address various issues affecting teenagers such as smartphone usage, social media, and misinformation. Elizabeth was not the only student from her school taking part in the challenge; others like Eliza and Michelle shared their thoughts on giving up technology in their rooms. While Michelle planned to read a book before bed instead of using her phone and laptop, Henry had to adjust to gaming without his PlayStation in his room.

As the week progressed, Elizabeth found unexpected benefits from the challenge, such as researching ballet lessons and baking chocolate chip bread out of boredom. Her parents noticed a positive change in her behavior, opting to watch documentaries on the family TV rather than online videos in her room. The project revealed the importance of setting boundaries and promoting healthier habits among teenagers, especially in relation to screen time and technology usage.

After completing the challenge, the teenagers reflected on their experiences and shared their stories. While some struggled with the lack of technology in their rooms, others embraced

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