Giving up the APPs

By: Senior Darci Eastman, Journalism staff

There’s something infesting the world we live in. Something that almost everyone has. Something that is not only possessed by our peers, but also something that is considered essential by the majority of the world’s population. Smart phones. Smart phones are seen everywhere and almost everyone owns them. They are a useful tool to many people, but can smart phones be dangerous?

Smart phones are used not only for emailing, and contacting people, but they are also used to check up on social networks. There are a multitude of social networks you can access for free if you own a smartphone. For example, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vine and Snapchat are all networks that are used to communicate and/or to creep on your fellow peers. But are all these networks worth the distraction they cause?

When I spend my time doing homework, studying for a test, or even doing the simplest task of cleaning my room I find myself way too easily distracted by my smartphone and the social networks on it. These distractions aren’t only unhealthy for my grades and future, but also they are unhealthy for my relationships that I make with other people. Without my smartphone I converse with my family and friends so much more and our conversations are more meaningful than, “did you see what she posted on Facebook?!” Smartphones and social networks are a distraction to many things and can make you miss out on life’s greatest moments.

To conclude my rant on smart phones, I’ve decided to go social network-less for one month. I’ve deleted Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Vine off of my phone and intend to leave them off for a whole month. During this month I plan on studying harder in my classes, building relationships with people, and become less reliant on my phone. Not only do I hope this will be better for me, but I also hope to encourage others to put down their smartphones and see what’s great in life!