Cell phones have made a massive impact on our society. They have changed the way we communicate, complete homework, entertain ourselves, and so much more. But is this impact actually beneficial? I interviewed five teenagers and five adults to hear how the cell phone has impacted them directly.
Almost all the teenagers said that the cell phone has been a huge help for their education. One teenager said that their cell phone “really helps me with my homework and better understand my classes. If I am struggling with a topic, I can google it or watch a youtube video.” However, she followed that statement by saying that she could use a computer for homework help also. While this is true, a cell phone is much more convenient to use than a computer due to the quick and easy access. Almost all of the teenagers also commented on the negative impact social media on their phones has had on them. One respondent said that “the easy access to social media makes it easy to continuously compare yourself to other people.” Teenagers really struggle with low self-confidence. The cell phone has certainly not improved this issue. It is easy to think lower of yourself when you are comparing yourself to other people’s filtered, edited, and perfectly posed photos.
The adults went a different direction with their responses. When talking about the positive impact cell phones have had on their lives, almost all mentioned that it is easier to keep in touch with other people. One response was that the cellphone “helps me stay connected with friends that don’t live close.” The cellphone has made communication with a greater amount of people much easier. Friends and family move all the time, but the cellphone has allowed us to overcome that distance through calling and texting. When talking about the negative impact the cell phone has had on their lives, most of the adults mentioned that it is a distraction. One response was that “I get distracted because of my phone a lot and don’t focus on things as well as I can.” Because of the easy access to entertainment and communication, the cell phone has become an addiction that a lot of people struggle with. Procrastination has become a lot easier and common because of the cell phone both in adults and teenagers alike.
To add an extra element to this post, I decided to attempt to go 24 hours without my phone to see in a different way how my phone has impacted me. I failed miserably. I attempted three different times, and the longest I made was about 4 hours. I rely on my phone a lot more than I originally thought. I use it for even simple things like checking the weather. But even if I am addicted and struggle not to use it too frequently, it has made my life much easier in so many different ways like getting homework help and communicating with friends who don’t live nearby.
Overall, I would encourage you to attempt to go 24 hours without your phone also to discover how much this simple device really impacts you. I’ve learned that I am very thankful for the many positive ways my life has changed because of the cell phone, but I need to be aware of how much time I spend on it. What can you learn?
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