Social Media Addiction, Academics, and Falling Grades.

Today's student activities goes like this: Logs in to Facebook... Stays on for 30mins... Logs in to Instagram and stay 5mins(for lack of enough airtime), then logs in to Twitter for 20mins extra. Opens notebook to read for a while. Loses interest after 2mins. Logs back in to Facebook and posts something, likes something, messages a friend, enjoys the process. Spends almost an hour on there, and tosses in to bed. Most students hardly plan their academic life but rather indulge more in social media activities to the neglect of their books.

Lecturers and teachers are even making it more difficult for students. They seem to expect too much from the student for the fact that they presume students have Internet at their disposal. Frankly, the dangers Internet poses on the welfare of students and their academics far outweigh its advantages. Instead of using it for learning, students are drawn to other less important activities on the Web. Dear student, you are not alone. Most of us face the challenge of choosing between the Internet and our books. The distraction is so massive. It's like waving a banana at a monkey and expecting it to stay calm and not be excited about the gesture. It's not that we do not want the best outcomes, it's just that social media has a subtle way of drawing us in without our permission.

Reading and disciplining yourself to do so for a longer period of time is quite a discipline that not many people can acquire. As many students are about writing exams, I believe we need some focus. Building up discipline to stay away from social media at all cost is not going to be easy. However, it is important to face our books, especially in these crucial moments of examination, rather than Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Students are now more concerned with proving to the world that they exist(without little or no proper skills), than to prove to themselves as being the best in their field of study. And when they get poor grades, they want to shift blame to either the lecturer or some friend who refused to teach them the answers to a question. The effects are so real so much that parents, teachers and  students are all worried about the fall in learning standards of students. 

People who engage more in social media without deriving any benefits from it can be termed as irrational. Irrational, because our families and societies are looking up to us as intellectuals who will be solving issues around the globe, yet we choose to waste our lives on social media. The most annoying ones are the "social media celebrities" who disturb us each day with pictures, videos, and posts which really do not teach or admonish us in any positive way. The only thing these so-called celebs serve us are immorality, profanity, silly talks, and indiscriminate lifestyle. Meanwhile, their books lay in wait for exams to approach. It's even more sad when you visit WhatsApp groups. These are platforms which can help in effective learning but are bombarded with unnecessary talks, jokes, and nonsense. You dare not silence anyone there or else you might receive the insult of your life. Well... That's why I'm here writing about it, and hoping it gets across to someone who wants to turn his or her grades around.

So what's the way forward?

Focus, don't procrastinate, be determined to read daily. Prepare a Time-table for studying rather than studying without it since it can guide you to study efficiently. Set days and time for specific subjects. It's not too late to start if you have wasted enough time already. Join study groups if you are a slow learner and insist that they help you learn difficult subjects that you do not understand. In the long run, if we are not getting appointments and deals from our engagements on these social media platforms, then what's the point anyway? Let us be mindful of the kind of future ahead of us. Besides, there's enough room for sleep after death. Turning off the phone to keep focused is another way to stay ahead. And if you must keep away from your device for weeks, please do. We need a new set of vibrant intellectuals which are currently lacking in the system. That is why we need to reason up and start working towards our future. 

Choose a siren environment to learn in. You could choose the library or set a study table in your room away from any interruptions. Mark out every area you study while using a highlighter to point out facts, figures and elements you want to remember. Read extensively for about 2 hours while taking breaks or a nap in between. Remember, the heights that great men reached were not attained by sudden flight. Ward off from social media and save your future from falling apart.

Think through it. Social media does not really put food on the table. Go get yourself fixed on a desk and learn. A failed student or a student who passed all his papers, where do you want to belong? Let's be mindful of these things and build a strong future together. Less Facebook, More facing of books. What are some of your challenges and how may I help?

Justica Anima 

Adjeianima@gmail.com 

Switstica.blogspot.com