In our modern world, having a smartphone is simply a necessity. The ability to easily communicate and be connected with the world around you is likely the reason that you take your cell phone with you wherever you go. However, the question is, how much of your time can you spend scrolling through your phone before you start to miss out on the things happening around you? 

Social media is arguably the largest vessel of communication used by our generation. The rise of technology in the 21st century has created a world where one can see what others are doing, find out how others are feeling, and get to know people all over the world without leaving their room. All of this stimulation offered from one device comes with a major problem… It’s highly addictive.  

Senior Rylee Miller stated, “Later last year I deleted TikTok off of my phone. I just felt like I would be more productive if I wasn’t spending so much time scrolling through the app, and I wanted to fill my time with more fulfilling hobbies.”

The most popular social media platforms today such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are all based upon a system that’s only major purpose is to get consumers to spend more of their time on these applications. Your brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine, known as the feel-good chemical, as you scroll through all of the pictures and short videos that people post on your feed. This release of dopamine can make “checking your phone” an addictive and recurring action that consumes your time. 

Junior Sydney Prewitt stated “A lot of the time the biggest reason that I procrastinate the things I need to get done is because I’m on my phone. I feel like it’s something that you don’t even realize you’re doing sometimes.”

When you spend too much time on social media, your attention span basically shortens to the length of time that you’re amused by the photos and/or videos that you come across on your cell phone. This makes it a lot harder to stay attentive to things you have to get done in real life such as your studies, chores, and responsibilities. 

Although scrolling through social media can be a useful way to entertain yourself and pass time, it’s important to monitor your use to make sure you’re not letting too much time pass you by. You should use your phone as a tool to help communicate with people you can’t be with at the time, not as your main source of entertainment. Why experience your life through a screen when you can look up and witness it happening around you?