Growing up I was more interested in playing outdoors than tapping and swiping on a screen. I lived over at my friends’ houses and they lived at mine; anytime the sun was out, so was I. From swimming in the summer to sledding in the winter, my involvement outdoors did not depend on the seasons. From playing in the sun to playing in the rain, this statement is true for the weather as well. However, I have noticed that as I grow older, I gradually prefer to be more occupied with my phone as opposed to soaking up the outdoors.
My first memories of a device were of the family iPad, which I was only allowed to use for a limited period of time during the day. I never found much interest in the iPad as I would rather play with my mind. Then came the iPod which (much like the iPad) didn’t really have any impact on my interests. Its main purpose was to keep me entertained on long car rides to the beach amongst other things. All this to say, I wasn’t an iPad kid who had their device glued to both hands and eyes. I had access to electronic devices but never cared much for them.
Once middle school hit, I started to become involved in more after-school activities thus beginning my “need” for a phone. Originally, I only used it to communicate with my parents about my whereabouts and keep in touch with my friends, but that didn’t stay its only purpose for long. Eventually the inevitable happened, and I started to download games. These games had me using my phone more and being outside less. Then, around 8th grade, I heard that everyone had social media as the main form of communication. Texting turned into snapping, sending silly photos turned into posting on Instagram, etc. It slowly but surely ended up having a big impact on most aspects of my life.
The main difference I have noticed is my time management skills continue to go downhill. I used to always get my assignments done way before they were due, but now I find myself completing them hours before they are due. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t turn my assignments in late by any means. My point is that I do not complete them the day I receive them anymore. More times than not I see myself completing only the assignments that need to be done that day. This turns into a cycle where I’m never on top of my work and only just skimming by. I believe the only reason this cycle came to be is that I find myself only having the attention span for my necessary assignments so that I can be on my phone as soon as possible.
Not only does my phone affect when I am completing my assignments but also the time it takes me to complete them. Whether I turn on Do Not Disturb, screen time, or put my phone in a totally different room when I begin my assignments, it does not change the outcome. Instead of being on my phone, it just causes me to think about how long it will take me to complete my assignments so I can be on it sooner rather than just grinding out my schoolwork. Luckily, it (usually) does not affect the quality of my work, just the timely manner in which it takes me to get it done.
Aside from school and time management, my phone has also had an impact on my time spent outdoors. During the winter, it is very rare for me to be outside for long periods of time. Similarly, in the summer I am holed up on my phone rather than enjoying the sunshine to the full extent that I should be. I find myself, still, sitting down by the pool, but lying on a chair tapping through my phone as opposed to reading or swimming in the pool.
From school to summer, my screen time has impacted my life as opposed to when I was younger. Obviously, changes like these come with growing up, but there is no denying that social media and screen time have affected these differences. All of this to say, while the more recent introduction of electronics shas changed the way I live my daily life to a certain extent, they have not modified the quality of my life.
