Free time in the modern age is nothing but an interruption in our phone time. Enjoying anything without texting, tweeting or snapping is a rarity these days, and I’ve been guilty of this crime myself.
The four most common phone time wasters all present the same message to keep people connected and informed. The last time I accessed Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat was not to find news stories or talk to distant relatives; it was to see how other people were living.
I was far from alone in my choice to use social media as a time killer, as the 23 people I surveyed also confessed to using at least one of the four massive social media apps to fill their free time.
Facebook has been on the decline as a leading social media app with the students of Chico State, as only two students reported using it for a significant amount of time. The once prominent era of Facebook seems to have ended, as users are migrating toward newer apps such as Instagram to pass time.
Five of the 23 people I talked to also thought that Instagram was the leading driver of social media in their lives, and confirmed that they were hooked on the growing picture gallery. Another five of the participants also said that Twitter was an extreme part of their daily lives.
The most popular app was Snapchat, as eight people said it was their main social media app. Seventy two percent of teens spend at least nine hours on Snapchat a day, according to a poll by Statista.
With time wasters still on the rise and new platforms developing and adapting, students are doing less work and studying. The addiction of social media might have taken its hold on us as of late, but there’s no reason not to break the cycle.
Social media is fun and keeps people updated, but using it responsibly is often overlooked. No one needs to watch a cat video or post every meal they eat. Save that stuff for the break and after tests.
Whatever your pick of poison in the technological world, make sure you spend some time offline to break free from the addiction to social media.
Kyra Stemplinger can be reached at [email protected] or @TheOrion_News on Twitter.
