Social Networking sites have disturbed the studies of students

The students, who spend a lot of time on social media lose concentration on their studies and become distracted more easily.

Jacqueline Zurmuhlen, a student thinks that social media has been very distracting for her studies. “It is mind-consuming,” she said. “If for example I am studying, and all of a sudden I think what the people are doing, I go on Facebook for an hour. It takes away much of my time.”

According to an annual social media report by Nielsen in 2012, the United States spent 121 billion minutes on using social networks only in the month of July. That is equal to six and half hours per person (if everyone used social media). Most of these users are college students.

“It is a part of my life. I use it very often like every day,” Christopher Opoku, a student said. “It is very easy to get disturbed by the social networking sites. It has become a source of communication. It is easier to message someone on Facebook than talking to him in person.”

The effect of social networks is evident on students. They find it very easy as a source of information about the people they want to know.

“I think social networking sites are very tempting to use for students because they want to see new updates from their friends and families. They want to know what the people are doing,” Ferrawanti, a student said.

The quality of the assignments the students turn in is getting worse. They are always in a rush to go online. So, they don’t pay attention to their homework. They feel it be a burden. Consequently, the students harm their academic careers.

Students’ studying skills have been affected by social networking websites. Their essay papers and assignments reflect the language used in social media, such as LOL, bk, BTW, and coz.

“A couple of years back in high school, it definitely interfered in my homework and my study skills, which affected my grades, and I still use it more than I should,” Ashley Tassone, a student said.

It is more likely for students who use social media to lose their concentration on their studies. The temptation of social media distracts them from their purpose. “I am very addicted to using Facebook. Sometimes I prefer chatting with my friends instead of doing my assignments because it is more fun to use,” Opoku said.

Many students use social networks during class, though they are not allowed. It has affected many other students to use computers in the class because the instructors become strict and don’t let them use computers. They think that some of the students might use social networks.

“I am way better at taking notes on my computer than my handwritten notes, but I am not allowed to use my computer in a lot of my classes. It has actually hurt my studies because I am not able to utilize technology in the classroom just because my classmates cannot control when they go on social media,” Tassone said.

Today, social networks have become a trend among people of almost all ages, but it has mostly affected students and youngsters.