As technology advances and diversifies, headphones — especially on college campuses — have become exceedingly popular.

Wearing headphones can transport us to a realm of total isolation, creating sensory deterioration and preventing social interaction. Sensory seclusion can be helpful, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life and filling our ears with any song, podcast or audiobook that fulfills us.

However, this isolation comes at a cost.

Prioritizing our audio sense often leads to neglecting the other four fundamental senses, creating a flattened world that lacks subtle nuances. Noticing the leaves changing colors, the smell of rain or freshly cut grass, hearing the laughter of peers on campus and feeling the wind on a sunny day carry the richness of life.

In the quest for an audio immersion escape, we jeopardize the value of community and the use of our natural senses as a means of protection.

Auditory isolation

Without access to our hearing senses beyond earbuds, passing cars, bicyclists and police sirens are nonexistent. Often, senses work in unity to warn against danger.

Without an audio sense, people are unaware of their surroundings beyond eye reach and increasingly put themselves in physical danger. 

Social disconnection 

One of the most evident effects of wearing headphones is their impact on our social lives.

As we nestle ourselves in sound, we build barriers discouraging social interactions. People on trains, buses and public transportation who once used to be conversational companions now become completely withdrawn from the outside world. 

Of course, retreating from social interaction can be imperative to refueling our brains and social meter, but constant noise forced into our ears isn’t exactly a retreat. 

While sitting near the Student Center, outside the library, I kept a tally of the people wearing headphones who were alone (most people in groups were not wearing headphones.)

Twenty-seven out of 40 students passing by wore headphones. I noticed most people walking into class wore headphones, while many students leaving class were talking with friends (classmates) and giggling or smiling.

This observation bolsters the idea that socialization and friendship fuel happiness and a sense of belonging. 

Wearing headphones leaves people with loneliness and a lack of openness to civil situations. Humans are inherently social creatures, and community is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Headphones make people much more unapproachable — a common goal of the new age generation — dividing the natural from the technological. 

The nature aficionado marvels at the noises of the outdoors and statistically tends to be much happier, according to research from the Mental Health Foundation, a U.K. charity. People’s connection to technology, like headphones, takes away from our crucial relationship with nature. Without the natural world, we are submerged in an overstimulated mechanical hell.  

The ultimate question might be: What are we escaping from, and how is it affecting our lives?

The ubiquity of headphones — and technology altogether — has reshaped our public behavior and the way we interact with one another.

To claim the positive qualities of headphones, it is important to strike a balance.

Choosing to engage with others can foster deeper connections and enrich our social lives. Creating a harmonious relationship with nature and enjoying quietness can aid in a newfound appreciation for the nature that surrounds us every day.  

Headphones can be a beautiful instrument. However, we must remember their melody is just one part of the ensemble.

To fully appreciate the richness of our sensory experiences and nurture our social bonds, we must learn to unplug, tune in and find harmony in the world both inside and outside our headphones.

Carlina Krajnik is an opinion writer. Contact her at [email protected]