Digital Citizenship

 How can we preserve and protect our health when using technology?

Technology is a massive part of day-to-day life. When most people wake up, the first thing they do is check their phones. They check social media, emails, and text messages, to name a few. Technology helps in the classroom and with boredom. However, technology can have adverse effects on us emotionally and physically. Technology can cause our eyes to strain, it can affect our emotional well-being, and it could even drive our opinions and beliefs. 

Regarding physical health, staring at a screen for too long can cause our eyes to strain and be tired. Being on a screen for too long can even affect sleep quality. After I have been on my phone for too long or doing an assignment, I know my eyes start to hurt or feel tired. When this happens, the best thing to do is to get off of whatever makes your eyes strain. Take a break from scrolling or playing a video game and do something else. If you really need to do something that involves technology, there are helpful tools like blue light glasses that help reduce eye strain and help sleep quality.  

Everyone knows that social media plays a big part in most people's lives; while some people avoid social media apps altogether, many students use these apps. Social media has a crazy influence on everyone, especially young impressionable people. It determines what styles are in, who is widespread, and what phrases are popular or trending worldwide. This influence can also be harmful. At one point, people were doing challenges that involved eating laundry detergent.

Regarding social media, the best thing to do is be skeptical. There is so much false information that spreads through social media. One of the most common use is fearmongering. This is the widespread panic, which can cause anxiety in many students. It is essential to know where the source is coming from and research using a credible source. This fearmongering in media also drives some people's opinions. Which in many cases is not a good thing. Considering that algorithms conform to what the user is consuming, you mustn't take information at face value. While it might fit your beliefs, it might only sometimes be accurate. 

The way we can preserve and protect our mental health with social media is to take a break. We always take in so much information that it can be too overwhelming. Which causes anxiety and stress over so many topics. Technology's physical toll on our body includes stress, anxiety, eye strains, and low-quality sleep. So, the best way to preserve and protect our health is to take a break from technology, walk, limit your screen time, or do something you enjoy that does not involve technology for a little while. 



Comments

  1. Kevin KrouseJuly 23, 2023 at 8:20 AM

    Hello Teya! I really like your response, a lot of really practical solutions provided. I couldn't agree more about the usefulness of blue light glasses. Someone got me a pair a while back and I assumed they were a little overhyped and didn't actually work, but I was so wrong! You're also spot on regarding how people should be skeptical of things they see on social media. The proliferation of fake news over the last decade has made the ability to research credible sources so important. In my opinion, it's one of the more useful skills we teach in debate.

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  2. Willis AllenJuly 23, 2023 at 8:16 PM

    Hey Teya! You dropped so many gems in this post. I don't think people really understand how social media affects students and people in general physically and mentally. A lot of the younger generation look up to social media platforms, so eating tide pods and eating a spoon-full of cinnamon is cool to them. These challenges along with misinformation spread on these platforms are alarming. What do you think is the best solution to helping students understand how to use social media the right way?

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    Replies
    1. Teya VillalpandoJuly 27, 2023 at 7:47 AM

      Hi Willis,
      I think the best solution to helping students understand how to use social media platforms the right way would be to demonstrate it. Show them how social media can be used the right way, and give them reliable resources on ways that social media can be used positively. Also, thank you for your input!

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