Osemudiame Kingsley-Odia is a Tandon junior studying chemical engineering. But Monday afternoon, he practiced a different kind of engineering: He hosted a basket-weaving event for around a dozen students at The NEST, the hub of NYU’s new device-free initiative.

“The tables were always full. When someone took a step out, like to go to the bathroom or to finish, someone else would magically come,” Kingsley-Odia said. “We had conversations about many things — lifestyle choices, basket-weaving styles, experience with arts and crafts and everything. It was relaxing.”

NYU IRL, a universitywide initiative launched last week, aims to limit students’ technology usage and create opportunities for in-person interaction. Featuring device-free lounges and programming, the project was inspired by Stern professor Jonathan Haidt’s 2024 bestseller “The Anxious Generation,” which argues that smartphones and social media have increased anxiety and depression among young people.

Kristie Patten, the counselor to President Linda Mills, oversees the initiative. She told WSN that spending five hours a day on a phone translates to roughly 76 days a year — about one-third of a person’s waking life.

“It was very much student-driven,” Patten said. “Students familiar with Professor Haidt’s work came to us last August and were wondering what could be done.”

The NEST — located at the Kimmel Center for University Life, as well as at NYU’s Abu Dhabi and Shanghai campuses — offers activities like board games, puzzles and coloring books for students. The university will host events such as mindfulness workshops, bracelet making and an UNO tournament throughout the week at the lounge, while NYU IRL also encourages faculty to incorporate “device-free practices” into their courses and syllabi.

NYU Shanghai senior Prashil Wankhede, who is spending his semester at the Washington Square campus, told WSN that he plans to continue attending these events at The NEST because it facilitates more conversation than spaces like the library, where students are typically on their laptops.

“New York City and NYU in general can feel pretty lonely at times,” Wankhede said. “Spaces like The NEST and the events organized by The NEST can really help people connect.”

Haidt also launched The Anxious Generation Movement, a nationwide group that advocates for policies like phone-free schools and age restrictions on social media. NYU IRL will hold a fireside chat with Haidt on March 6, which students can attend in-person or on Zoom.

“A lot of the work is around doomscrolling — I don’t know anyone that feels great after doing that for two hours,” Patten said. “It doesn’t make us feel good, but we keep scrolling, looking for that reward. We want to offer alternatives where people can get that kind of connection in real life.”

Contact Zachary Karp and Justin Yen at [email protected].