Last Friday I had a French conversation test. I spoke with my lecturer, ever so briefly, about how my generation uses our phones. She was curious about this and asked with intrigue and inquisitiveness. She joked that she had given me my next topic for this column. Well, she did in fact inspire me. I thought, if one person is wondering this, then surely most are. Then I thought, I can help with that. The question of phone usage hardly ever occurred to me before this, an indication of how very normalised technology has become. We have undeniably become desensitised to screens. Phones, social media; we are all aware of their negative impacts. Increased peer pressure, online bullying, mental health ... the list goes on. Personally, I would say the most troubling effect of social media is its constant surveillance. There is now a need to constantly perform that has wormed its way into most people’s mindsets. It has become integrated into the way we view very normal, regular activities.…