Are Cell Phones Tools or Distractions?

At this point in time, no one can really imagine a world without technology. For better or worse, we probably use some form of technology every day. In fact, right now you’re using technology to read this article. Over the years, people have come up with new ways to make the world a better place, and phones have really helped us in many ways but should they be allowed in class? Are phones tools, or just distractions?

Research has shown that 92% of teens go online daily, and 75% of these teens go online daily on smartphones. Some of these kids might actually be going online for research purposes for things like homework, projects, the need for a calculator, or just to look up the definition of a word. But the other percent’s usages are on things like social media, watching videos, or texting a friend. Now, being on social media isn’t a bad thing but it is if we aren’t getting school work done. Teens need to learn to manage their time wisely or they’ll never make it in the real world.

Another place teens get distracted with technology is in the classroom. For some reason, students think it’s okay to pull out their cellphones, and just be on their phones. This is not okay. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve witnessed this. Math class may not be the most fun subject but that isn’t a reason to pull out your phone and text a friend. Students need to appreciate the education you get and not disrespect the teaching time. 

Another way teens are effected by cell phones is when they stay up late at night using them. When teens go on their phones they can be amused by all the things that happened that day. You can’t really blame them. They interact with the news on the latest celebrity drama, the videos posted by their favorite YouTubers, and trailers for upcoming shows and movies. Because of these things, teens tend to stay up late watching them, which isn’t healthy at all. The average sleep a teen needs is about 9 ½ hours a night. So if school here starts at 8:15 am and most kids wake up at around  6:40 am, the best time to go to sleep at night is around 9:00 pm. But most teens don’t go to sleep at 9:00 pm, most kids don’t even go to sleep at 10:00 pm or 11:00 pm. Some teens stay up until 12:00 am or later! This is really unhealthy behavior because you won’t be able to focus or think properly in class.

There are many ways cellphones can be used for educational purposes. But some people don’t use them for that. It’s not bad to be on our phones for entertainment purposes, but people need to know a good time to stop. You can’t be on your phone 24/7 because it’s not a healthy habit and will not lead to good habits in the future.