HOW SOCIAL MEDIA HINDERS OUR MILLENNIALS’ SUCCESS
RODA S. JIMENEZ
Social media permits interaction. People from different ages are joining sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to communicate with friends, family, and even strangers. The introduction of social media has changed the world in so many ways.
In the past, the communicating and free sharing of thoughts among people were restricted by long distance, nationality and/ or religion. But now, even these barriers cannot stop the flow of information and knowledge. So how do social media affect our education? How do they influence the lives of stud ent s?
Although the use of social media by the students helps them to have access to basic information as quick as possible, it is evident that it has negative effects to their academic performances. For example, many students nowadays find it difficult to go about their normal life without making use of social media. There are instances in school that some students do not listen in class; instead they are busy chatting and reading stories online. Whenever teachers would give them homework, they will prioritize checking their social media accounts rather than reading and practicing what they have learned in school .
Actually, many reasons exist that explain why students love to spend time socializing. Firstly, social networks provide them the freedom to do whatever they want — to upload what they want and talk to whom they want. They like to make new friends and comment on the lives of different people.
The most important things in a student’s life are studying, learning good habits and gaining knowledge to become a better individual. But today, as what was observed in different studies, this learning process is seriously risked by students becoming entrapped by the schemes of social media.
Students, with the guidance of their parents or guardian must develop the cognitive and intuitive ability to analyze how much time they want to spend on social media. Their family must instill them the value of prioritizing what is important. In this way, students will be the ones decide what really matters in their life.
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The author is Teacher III at Jose J. Mariano Memorial High School, Division of Bulacan