Social Media, You Be the Judge by Taylee

Social Media, You Be the Judge by Taylee - March 2022 Scholarship Essay

Scrolling through my favorite platforms late at night wrapped up in the comfort of the blankets spread out across my bed, I pause to look at the time. I know I should shut it off and get some sleep before the exhausting day of learning tomorrow. It seems like everyone I know has done this before, but tonight I ponder: what is the impact on my mind and how I learn, of scrolling through social media feeds? Is it healthy to be on social media at night, what about throughout the day? Are there advantages to social media? Diving into this controversial topic I would argue that there are both risks and benefits of using social media.

How is late night social media scrolling affecting my brain on a daily basis? The majority of my assignments require multitasking and full attention. Add to that, test taking on the newly learned concepts (sometimes in the same class period I have just learned the material in) and I would admit late night scrolling affects my ability to mentally attend. I know I have personally struggled with this on more than one occasion. It can be exhausting to go to school trying to learn after being on social media all night before. The physical and mental effects of social media seem close to detrimental in terms of education when time limits aren’t enforced, leading to exhaustion and diminished mental capacity.

There are other disadvantages as well to the use of social media. I am all too familiar with the well known phrase, cyberbullying. Seeing a post come up with a passive aggressive comment, or reading a post about someone unnamed that I know everyone knows full well who it is about are just a couple of examples. It doesn’t feel good to grapple with emotions following a post intended to hurt. It becomes distracting throughout the day when trying to focus on learning but constantly having that post nagging in the back of my mind. The enticement is strong and after sitting in the same seat for so long sometimes it becomes hard to resist just checking one message, but that one message quickly turns into more like 20. Scrolling can potentially keep me away from peer interaction as well, when my eyes are continually on my screen I find myself tempted to scroll during the group project.

Conversely, there are platforms that when used in moderation and with purpose offer opportunities in school to stay connected. With new apps like GroupMe, Remind, Edmodo and many others, communication can be enhanced. These apps have given me the advantage to connect with teachers and fellow students. It has also given the ability to get reminders on assignments, upcoming projects, or homework. Instead of relying solely on email which often extends wait time, I can simply click on an app and type in a message that delivers right to my teacher for quick questions, comments, or concerns I might have. I clearly remember having a question about my homework assignment due in Biology the following day and going onto Edmodo to ask a question. Within minutes I received an answer from my teacher! I know it can be a great resource for students and come in handy for quick updates and communication.

Technology has changed our life. It has created incredible opportunities, increased productivity and provides advancements that make our lives easier. As with all new advancements there will be negative repercussions. To mitigate possible risks of social media, it is important for each of us to evaluate where we are personally and take steps to minimize adverse effects particularly in terms of education. When used properly, social media has potential for better opportunities and easier access to receive help and support from teachers and fellow classmates. Social media has a big impact on the way we learn.