Screen queens

Screen Queens By Swati Madankumar I f you have an iPhone, your phone can now tell you the amount of time you spend on screen each day, what your most used apps are, how many times you pick up your phone, and what app you usually use right after you pick up your phone. Talk about invasive. The growing consensus is that social media and screen-time = bad, but how founded is this claim? Should our phones wield the power to possibly instill guilt in us for the amount of time we spend on them and what we do on them, or should we be thankful for them for doing this? A cost-benefit analysis of social media is one way to formulate an answer to this.

First, regarding our mental health, which encompasses our psychological and social well-being. Social media helps you form and maintain friendships. While people often question the truth and depth of these relationships compared to those that are in-person and also their ability to develop one’s interpersonal skills– according to the Child Mind Institute, they are definitely much needed when you find yourself losing touch with friends who attend other universities, missing family members, or studying abroad and feeling lonely– all situations in which you would not otherwise be connecting with these people besides over phone, email, text, or regular postage mail. Additionally, on social media, you can discover circles of people who share a common interest or identity. On a more individual level, it’s easy to find positive, inspirational quotes or messages on social media that can lift your spirits when you’re feeling down. At the same time, seeing the existence of clubs or groups that you may not be able to join, or friends bonding, can increase feelings of loneliness or isolation. It’s easy to forget that photos and videos can be distorted by filters, photoshop, and the sheer autonomy that people have over what they post and how representative the content they share is of their actual college experiences. This, the Independent reports, exacerbates the anxiety, depression, pressure Screen Queens

towards perfectionism, and other mental health issues that many college-age students face.

Yet, according to the Huffington Post, a few colleges have harnessed the reach of social media to improve the mental health of their students. Drexel University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Pennsylvania have used social media as a way to connect students and peers to mental and emotional support services in response to cases of high stress and suicidal ideation.

Next, physical health. Many people have earned money by running accounts that educate and motivate others on healthy lifestyle changes, in areas such as exercise and nutrition. On the flip side, there can be inaccurate information and content that can lead to unhealthy attitudes and habits surrounding body image and diets. Regarding the physical usage of one’s phone, the glow or light from one’s phone can inhibit the release of melatonin, a hormone that is produced in darkness and promotes sleep. The result could be worsened quality in deep sleep, which is when memory formation takes place and is crucial to optimal academic performance.

The bottom line is that it’s important to remember that all of the effects that social media has on you are really within your control, due to the amount of time you choose to spend on it. Maybe it’s worth considering slowly weaning off the screen by setting goals as to how much time to spend on social media– balance is key. Recognition of how your usage of social media could be affecting your self-perception and confidence is a critical first step.