Essay Sample on Negative Impact of Social Media on Student's Academic Performance

Introduction

Many parents are worried about the academic performance of their children in this era of technology and students access the internet any time (Jelenchick, Eickhoff & Moreno, 2013). Even though some researches indicate that social media has a positive impact on students learning, investigations illustrate that social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter adversely affect the academic performance of students because of issues such as depression and the time they spend online. According to the University of Pennsylvania, there is a causal link between social media and academic performance. Therefore, it is evident that social media harms academic achievement as the article illustrates.

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Social Media Depression

Spending a lot of time on social media does not only make become miserable but causes depression. Research shows that individuals who cut down the time they spend on social sites perform better academically compared to individuals spending too much time online on social platforms. There is a link between spending too much time on social sites and loneliness and eventually loneliness. For example, some students spend like five hours online every day, illustrating that they do not engage their peers in social activities (Jelenchick et al. 2013). In the process, they develop a habit of being lonely since they are glued to online people instead of spending a significant amount of time socializing with their neighbors. As a result, the individuals do not have time to share their problems with others, which may lead to depression. They think that spending time online could help to reduce their stress; instead it encourages isolation, which eventually leads to isolation. It is not wrong to seek social connections in the popular social sites, but it is also essential to spend time with fellow learners and share ideas that would solve social problems people have.

It is worth to note that it is adolescents who spend most of their time on social networking sites. Research shows that more than 70% of adolescents spend their time on social sites. Facebook is the most used social platform, followed by Twitter. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is all evidence determining the relationship between social networking sites and depression. In adolescents, the primary cause of morbidity among teenagers (Jelenchick et al. 2013). As a result, it is essential for parents, guardians and teachers to help guide children to avoid spending too much on the internet. Social media traditionally include television and video games. However, digital platforms have developed due to the growth of the internet.

Various surveys dating back to 1930s help to understand the relationship between fear and students' performance. The primary factor causing depression among adolescents include fear and anxiety as a result of the contents they find online. The inadequate connection among adolescents causes stress among students (Jelenchick et al. 2013). For example, a study in Japan found out that on average, 18.4 years old adolescents suffer from anxiety since they fear meaningful connection. It is because when they post something, they expect replies. However, not all times that they get an immediate response as they expect. The process of waiting for a reply causes stress, affecting the concentration on academic work. Therefore, social networking sites cause anxiety which eventually leads to depression affecting students' academic performance.

Cyber Bullying

Moreover, the use of social networking sites leads to cyberbullying. There is a significant difference between individuals who bully others offline and those who bully others online. Students bullied online tend to be victimized because the behaviors spread faster to other students. For example, adolescents engage in unethical behaviors like posting funny things and picture their fellow students, and the post reaches out a wider audience (Jelenchick et al. 2013). Victims of online bullying report fear, embarrassment and stressed about the events. It is right to say that depressed or embarrassed individuals will not concentrate on their studies because of the fear they have developed and negative attitude towards others. Some victims of cyberbullying may contemplate suicide thoughts because they may not stand the embarrassment. As a result of this stress, they may skip some classes since they do not want to be seen. However, this does not mean that offline bullying is better, but it is because it reaches out a small audience. All this is because adolescents spend too much time on social networking sites.

Sexting

Since the development of the internet and social networking sites, sex texting has become common among adolescents. It is the process of sending out sex messages using digital platforms like Facebook. They can send messages privately to others about sex disrupting their concentration in academic studies. In most cases, they use social networking platforms to send messages (Jelenchick et al. 2013). A recent survey shows that 20% of teens have sent or received nudes or semi-nude pictures or videos. The reason they use social platforms is because it is free and they can send the messages and photos to a particular audience. It is embarrassing to some individuals affecting their ability to concentrate on their studies. They cannot stand individuals who sent them nudes. Therefore, the internet and social networking sites contribute to deterioration in academic performance due to texting affecting concentration and stress among individuals; hence, the parents and teachers should guide adolescents effectively.

Time Wasting

Social networking sites have contributed to time wastage among students. Most parents and teachers are against spending too much time on social sites since it wastes a lot of time socializing. Students need to spend their resources well, including time so that they accomplish their goals. However, the challenge with the millennia is that they spend too much time online without concentrating on other essential activities like group working (Jelenchick et al. 2013). In the process of spending too much time, they become addicted, and they will spend every minute they have logging into their social networking sites. Some students could not complete their assignments in time as a result of wasting too much time online; thus, affecting their concentration in studies.

Conclusion

The strength of this study is that it has identified critical factors digital factors affecting the attention of students in their academics. Moreover, the studies have identified the relationship between anxiety and concentration of students. Correctly, the study has identified the target audience as adolescents since this is the age group that uses social networking sites the most. However, the research has not provided details of the extent to which depression affects male and female students.

References

Jelenchick, L.A., Eickhoff, J.C., Moreno, M.A. (2013). "Facebook depression?" Social networking site use and depression in older adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52, 128-130.