Today’s generation only cares about one thing, their phones. In the halls, you see students holding their phones, grasped to them as if their life depended on releasing the device from their hands. In classes, phones are glued to the table on the side of their computer, as if putting it in the backpack is lethal. I am not saying that I am not like this, I most certainly am a victim of today’s technology addiction, but it is getting worse as the generations go on. While having a phone is good for taking photos, capturing memories and calling friends and family, the use of social media is getting out of hand.
As a social media manager, I love having the chance to capture events and share it with those who missed out so that they feel like they were there. However, I am in control of my time usage and I still manage to live life not through a screen, but sometimes I get carried away. As any normal teenager, I catch myself swiping through TikTok for hours in bed before I fall asleep, thinking to myself “all that for what?” It feels draining at times when I look at the clock and see how much time has passed doing nothing, but I try to limit my screen time. I know my limits, but what I am worried for is the new generation and all the little kids with their electronic addictions.
Take, for example, little kids in elementary school and even younger. As a swim instructor, kids I teach as young as three years old talk about video games like Fortnite or playing Roblox on their iPads. Some children around the age of five are talking about TikTok and all the trends on the app. These children are constantly talking and thinking about the device they will use after the lesson, which is causing them to struggle with staying on task and focused.
My sister is also a victim of early technology access. She is in fourth grade and she is at a time when life should be enjoyed outside playing with friends, but she spends her days in her room on her iPad. The other day, she came to my mom with a four-page essay about getting Snapchat. Four pages. She argued that everyone in her class had it, so she felt left out. You know what I thought was being left out at that age, not being able to swing at the park’s swing set. All jokes aside, it is absurd that children have social media accounts at that young of an age, creating pressure for those who do not have it.
All this made me realize, that after phones were made, we forgot to enjoy life. Life is living, talking and making the most of our days. As I looked at my screen time, I realized that I needed to make a change and live in the moment. I could have learned and done so many things with the amount of time I spent on my phone. Children also need to develop necessary social skills and not just socialize through their screen.
It is not the technology itself that I have a problem with, it is the overuse of it that has been causing harm. Many kids, teenagers and adults have been losing their social skills and patience. I just hope that the following generations begin to enjoy life as it is and not over a screen.
