24 hours in a day?

Is there really 24 hours in a day? How productive are we in these 1,440 minutes? Are we really doing anything at all? I’ve spent 4 hours and 44 minutes on my phone today (September 17) so far and the day still isn’t even over. How much more will I spend on it? Is there such thing as too much or too little screen time?

Spending around 5 hours just on my phone, and some more hours on my computer, most of my day revolves around technology. But is this just in my life? Not only kids, but adults around the world are attached to their phones, tablets, computers, and other pieces of technology which essentially become an extension of themselves. With 3 out of my top 5 applications used being some form of social media: Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter; we become obsessed with other people and feeling connected to the world around us. Snapchat being my most used application, I spend time texting, sending selfies, and checking in on what friends are doing while I sit at my desk trying to distract myself for a couple minutes from studying. Humans dive into this other world where they can sit back and see what other people are doing comparing it to their lives and creating some sort of distraction. My second most used application of the day is Volt which is a workout app that we have to use for lacrosse. It is very helpful because it shows you how to do each workout, the reps, and weight for each exercise. However, my teammates and I have become so reliant on this if someone forgets their phone they frantically check other people’s phones making sure they are staying updated with the workout.  My 3rd most used application not being a social media or workout application is FaceTime. FaceTime is revolutionary and allows me to catch up with my parents, friends, and other family members feeling as though we are having a face to face conversation. But by spending so much time on FaceTime am I missing out on making real life physical connections with the people around me?

My laptop. Without a computer or internet, I’m unsure how a school would actually function. Using my computer for research, checking and keeping up with assignments, completing homework or papers, communicating with faculty and so much more, my computer is something I heavily rely on for school. Am I supposed to write a formal paper on paper? Deliver a letter to a professor in person? Using the internet and technology within the school system has become a way of life for every institution. So why are people saying it can hurt education?

So, are we actually addicted to our phones? Our computers? Are we wasting our day away by spending hours on these devices? Well in a way, yes, and no. Do I enjoy being able to keep up with my parents through FaceTime? Texting and sending silly selfies to my friends far away? Following a workout or seeing the funny trends in the world? Absolutely. These ways of life have become a part of me. But do I enjoy anxiously waiting for my phone to vibrate in my pocket? Wasting hours away on the blackhole of YouTube? Posting something dumb on social media that won’t go away? Yes, yes, I do. But now I have to go check my phone because I’ve been writing this…….