How much time does a teen spend on social media? Think about it for a moment. Either they spend way too much time on it, or they don’t at all. Which leads to my next question, is social media becoming the newest addiction?

   The Comets’ Tale conducted a poll that consisted of three different questions, all about social media. The first question asked “Do you use social media?” This question’s results were that the majority of people who participated in the poll answered yes to question one. Question two asked “If you answered yes to question one, which social media do you use the most?” The majority there, voted that SnapChat was the most used. The third and final question asked “Do you think social media is addictive and time consuming?” The results showed that the majority of people answered yes. So why do people use social media and what makes it so addictive? The Comets’ Tale also asked some students to comment on what they thought.

   “[People use social media] as a way to stimulate their perfect life and filter the things others see of them,” junior Eli Tanasse said. “People love the constant stimulation it gives them.”

   In my opinion, people are becoming way too addicted to social media. There is a time and a place for people to use it, but a lot of people have become so addicted they will use it all day, everyday. Some examples of where people are on their phones are in the classroom and on the road.

   “I’ve seen teachers use various social media platforms to host student discussions — for example, class Twitter pages,” english teacher, Ms. Lisicki said. “As a whole, though, I think that social media carries a lot of negatives in the classroom. Primarily, it is a huge distraction to students. At times, I feel that students turn into zombies staring at their phones mindlessly;  it has become such a habit that many students don’t even realize how quickly they get distracted to check for new posts, DMs, etc. There is also the drama that is easily spread through social media that carries into the classroom.”

   The Comets’ Tale also asked Ms. Lisicki how many students use their phones at inappropriate times during class.

   “Teaching seniors, I like to give them the freedom to (hopefully) learn how to responsibly and respectfully use their phone during important times like classes,” Ms. Lisicki said. “However, I still find myself reminding students ‘…hey guys, I’m up here giving directions for the large project you’re about to begin… now would be a great time to put your phones away because I’m not going to repeat these directions.’ They do a decent job of keeping them away after a quick reminder like that, though. I would say at least 75 percent of students in a class get distracted for some period of time.”

   The classroom is not a place to be on your phone, but it is not as bad as being on your phone while behind the wheel. According to Edgar Snyder & Associates, the National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes per year. They also reported that 263 teens (ages 15 to 19) were killed as a result of distracted driving in 2016, and in 2015, 3,477 people were killed and 391,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.

   “I think driving and using your phone is bad, it can lead to accidents that could’ve been avoided,” senior Autumn Childs said.

   Social media is not all bad. However, using it responsibly and at appropriate times is necessary. Be safe and think before using it. People are becoming addicted to social media, but how does one avoid addiction? Give the phone a break or stop using social media.