Opinion

Take a step back from social media

Two weeks ago, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp shut down due to server issues. The servers were down for several hours and the companies lost over $7 billion in revenue. The outages caused other apps, like Pokémon Go, not to work as well.

It left many people frustrated that they couldn’t update their Instagram accounts or contact family in other countries, which is WhatsApp’s primary function.

The outage highlighted just how much time people spend online. When for most of us, our go-to source of entertainment was down for seven hours, we struggled with how to fill our day.

It is easy to pick up the phone and scroll through Twitter and Instagram feeds in between classes and even during classes. However, spending a large amount of time online can be damaging in several ways.

Beauty and lifestyle vloggers give unreal expectations of what people should look like and that can hurt a person’s body image. When a person spends so much time on their phone, they can disconnect from their reality and miss out on valuable information.

Students should be mindful of how much screen time they use, especially since Kirkwood just hit midterms. It is never too late to change study habits and a good first step would be to reduce screen time.

Students should also make a point to get fresh air and go outside for a walk once in a while. A recommendation from The National Sleep Foundation is to turn off screens at least a half hour before going to bed. The Mayo Clinic also recommends that adults get seven or more hours of sleep each day. That is very important while going to school because it will help with memory retention and immune health.

If students are spending excessive time on their phone, there is less time for things like homework, family and sleep. Students need to be mindful of how they spend their time and remember to make the most of their time in college.

Categories: Opinion, Staff Editorials