It starts as a glow from your smartphone, and, suddenly, you’re pulled into a trance, mesmerized by the ever-evolving algorithm. Hours pass, and now your homework can wait until tomorrow, and the walk outside doesn’t seem interesting anymore.
This is a common occurrence. Students spend hours a day scrolling on popular social media platforms such as Instagram or TikTok. Doomscrolling knows no boundaries, as people scroll at school, home, and work. Some students, however, have caught on to their habit and have made active decisions to cut down on their screen time.
Samuel Mejia (11) decided to use an Instagram program that limits him to an hour a day.
“I use Instagram, and then after an hour on Instagram, it says, ‘Hey, you should get off the app now.’ I usually agree,” Mejia said.
He uses other methods to pull himself off the app as well.
“I’ll be scrolling and be like, ‘Man, I could be doing this right now.’ So, I tell myself, ‘The next time I get a Clash Royale video, I’m getting off,’” Mejia said
Guidance counselor Crystal Stevenson thinks the benefits or drawbacks of social media depend on the content.
“I do think that it has a huge impact on mental health. I also think it depends on the person, what they are following, who they are following, and how much of an impact that can have,” Stevenson said. “Some people can follow all of the wrong types of social media, and that’s going to affect their mental health a lot more. But if you’re following more positive, upbeat kinds of things, then I think it’s different.”
She also feels that being intentional is vital in limiting screen time.
“If you are serious about cutting screentime, then just be intentional and set some time limits,” Stevenson said. “I know there are a lot of different settings in your phone that can also help.”
Principal Matt Svare feels people don’t even know that they’re doing it.
“I think maybe they go on to look at something or check something out, and then the algorithm just starts pushing stuff toward them,” Svare said. “That’s what the social media apps are designed to do: get you stuck on their site.”
Teacher Jolene Pitzenberger-Timp encourages teenagers to live life away from the screen.
“Go outside. Pitzenberer-Timp said. Take a walk. Talk to somebody face-to-face. Take a friend out to lunch. Go shopping. Go for a drive. Go for a bike ride—live life.”
