Television and internet are not entirely bad. Sometimes, after a long day of school or work, it feels great to come home and watch some trash TV while browsing the web. It shuts off your mind and gives you a mental break, which is sometimes exactly what you need! The problem is excessive use. Most of us are guilty of overusing TV and/or internet, myself included. While moderate use isn’t a problem, excessive use brings about a whole host of problems.
First, it’s an easily accessible, tempting way to procrastinate. It gets in the way of priorities. When a paper is due in the morning, it’s typical to have Firefox and Microsoft Word open at the same time. While reading textbooks or studying, it’s hard to leave the TV off while you read on the couch. Technology interferes with our “to do list.”
Second, technology is harmful even when we have nothing else to do! Over winter break, when you’re not in wintersession and you aren’t working until school begins again, what’s wrong with spending your free time having a Desperate Housewives marathon or remodeling your entire Facebook profile? Harshly speaking, it makes you dumb. Without intellectual stimulation, our minds have no reason to build new connections, and the ability of our brains to think creatively deteriorates.
Use Facebook, watch your favorite TV show every week, and text your friends. Just be aware that it really isn’t good for you to consume technology 24/7. Write a list of things you can do besides surf the web or watch TV. Write, read, exercise, clean, cook, or start a new project. Do things that both make your mind work and bring you satisfaction. Wouldn’t you rather tell your friends you spent the afternoon working out and catching up on cleaning instead of saying you did nothing but stumble online? It’s hard to break addictions, and technology is definitely an addiction. Break your habit little by little and you will reap the benefits!