Phones have made a major impact on today’s students and society as a whole.
“My phone helps me stay connected with my friends while I’m in school because I can’t see them all when I am in school but I can talk to them after school”, said junior Mya O.
Phones can help people communicate with others when they are not physically together. This is useful when students are working on group projects, or need help on homework. They can simply send a text message over or message others on social media. When the phone is not used for educational purposes it can be distracting.
“When I am doing homework I usually put my phone in a different room to not be distracted by it to stay focused on my work otherwise I find myself wanting to look at the notifications,” said freshman Bianca A.
Some strategies that help students stay focused are turning on airplane mode or do-not disturb, powering off their phone, placing their phone in a different place, or giving it to a family member until their work is finished.
“My phone affects me in a positive way more than a negative way academically because I am able to schedule my school events easily in my calendar, but sometimes I do notice myself procrastinating because of my phone scrolling through social media,” said Mya O.
Some adolescents may be addicted to social media instead of just the phone itself,
“The use of social media and phones is so addictive because the content is so reinforcing and there’s unlimited content so you can just keep going and it’s an escape from reality. It can become people’s new version of vegging out and shutting down but you’re not really shutting down, the mind is being flooded with all [of] these ideas on the phone. Sometimes it’s okay as a healthy break, but other times students are addicted because it’s so much easier to be in the virtual world than the real world,” said school psychologist Dr. Heather Leggio.
Most of today’s teens do not know high school without a phone.
“Socially, I think that filters and things that people post on social media make kids feel that they aren’t enough. Students are constantly comparing themselves to other people online and it’s so easy to see someone who has a completely different socioeconomic status, completely different life and are posting these beautiful pictures and some students don’t realize that people only post the positive parts of their lives so realistically teenagers have no idea what is really on the other side of the screen,” said the school social worker, Ashley Diaz.
Statistics have shown negative effects of the use of phones in an experiment at a university.
“In our current study, the average cell phone use by students was 6.16 ± 2.60 h per day. Over the last three decades, the world has seen a rapid transformation in ways we communicate, work and relax,” according to Paul B. Tchounwou, writer for PMC.
Students must be reminded by others sometimes to take a break from social media in order to keep their grades and mental health in check.
“I think sometimes it is important for families and adults to have their own set of rules with a phone and there needs to be some times where you do shut down and put your phone away to give your mind that break. That, I believe is how you make a balance with your technology use,” said Dr. Leggio.
The use of technology affects our futures in both positive ways and negative ways.
“Students are so used to posting and sharing things that should be kept private which is unhealthy. They don’t realize the long term effects of posting something that should be kept private,” said Diaz.
Students should choose to make mature decisions and use their phones as an outlet towards success instead of a harmful addiction.
“The dependence on social media as our primary form of entertainment and communication has caused some students to lose the art of conversation and unprofessional phrases become part of their vocabulary. As teachers, we are constantly stressing the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication. A student’s social media presence becomes part of their personal brand throughout their college and employment searches. Students are creating a professional journey doing what they love. They are able to develop successful careers in social media marketing. Hopefully, today’s students will have more opportunities to find careers that bring them happiness and purpose throughout their lives,” said business teacher Carolyn Milano.🔳
