Addictive tech pastimes raise concerns

Sophomore Edward Yang has had his share of experiences with addictive video games. At one point Yang was so hooked that he would start playing right after he returned home from school and continue playing until early in the morning.

“I would stay up late on school nights playing, sometimes to 3 or 4 in the morning,” Yang said.

However, in this day and age, one would be hard-pressed to find a teenager unfamiliar with the addictions that the Internet and new technology bring.

Experts have found that generally found that the that students who use the Internet excessively are inclined procrastinate.

In an article for a journal titled CyberPsychology and Behavior, Punjabi University psychology professors Kanwal Nawla and Archana Preet Anand wrote, “[Students] were found to delay other work to spend time online, lose sleep due to late-night log-ons, and feel life would be boring without the Internet.”

The lifestyle brought along with the addictions to video games can lead to an unhealthy one. For Yang, the continual gaming lifestyle shifted his priorities from a school-orientated lifestyle to one that revolved around video games.

“My grades freshman year were a disaster,” Yang said. “I just spent too much time playing video games.”

Addictions to pastimes such as these can bring trouble. Even simple pastimes can become the priority for students instead of work and can leave negative impacts in social and academic life.

However, in some cases, use of the Internet can be a beneficial way to spend time. Sophomore Maggy Liu uses her time on the Internet to educate and enjoy herself.

By looking at other people’s blogs, Liu finds articles, books and art that she is drawn to.

“I sometimes spend a few hours reading articles and books that are free online,” Liu said. “I like seeing other people’s art, especially university students’ thesis projectsProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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because I am interested in making art myself.”

Liu considers her grades to be satisfactory and her parents have given her freedom to continue surfing the Internet.

“Through Internet, I think that I am a lot more knowledgeable about what is happening in the world,” Liu said.

Moreover, in an article by Nicole B. Ellison, a professor in the Department of Telecommunication at Michigan State said, “Various forms of social media, including ties with friends and neighbors, are related to indices of psychological well-being, such as self-esteem and satisfaction with life.”

The Internet is contains a plethora of information. It can be a positive way to learn and update themselves on current events, and it can provide students with relaxation and entertainment. However, with poor time management and excessive usage, it can become an addiction that is hard to shake off.

“I think that I have learned a thing or two about time management through the hours that I spent with games,” Yang said. “I still play once in a while, but I try to make sure to keep my priorities straight.”