The impact of social media, and social media companies, is rarely out of the spotlight. Most people assume that such coverage is irrelevant to them as they use social media for entertainment, relaxation, and staying connected with friends. But social media affects us all and can impact academic performance, without you realizing it.
The difficulty is that social media is everywhere. And there is an expectation that you will use it, your university will certainly have encouraged you to follow their socials! This ubiquity is part of what makes social media a risk, its common acceptance means you don’t consider the risks.
For most people, giving up social media isn’t an option, either because they simply do not want to, or because it is so integral to their lives. But if they are aware of the impact it has, they can ensure their social media does not impact their academic results. There are three key areas to consider: how you use and manage your time; how social media affects your writing and critical thinking; and the impact it has on your mental health.
1. Don’t let social media manage your time
How often have you checked your social media for a few minutes, only to find yourself refreshing the feed hours later? Or instinctively reached for your phone when you had a minute to spare? It’s a feeling most people will recognize.
A major criticism of social media is the addictive behavior it fosters. The way most networks are structured means they activate parts of the brain in a similar way to addiction. Some even allege this is a deliberate design choice.
Seeing that post or cat video can trigger a dopamine hit. So, when you reach the end of the feed, you pull to get more. Your brain craves that little buzz of an amusing GIF or the latest news on almost anything.
It can mean that you lose hours scrolling when you should be studying, or you stay up a little too late to be alert for that morning lecture, or are itching to check your phone in the middle of a seminar. If you do, you might want to consider the relationship you have with your social media.
2. Social media can affect the quality of your work
We all have different voices when we are communicating. How we speak and write to our friends will be different to how we communicate with our professors. Social media does not remove those differences, but it can shift communication styles.
A major issue is the almost staccato nature of social media posts. These have normalized short comments that lack the length required for nuance, clarification, and qualification. So, when short posts become the type of writing you do most, it becomes less natural to adopt a more formal, considered, academic writing style.
Another risk is in communication differences between generational boundaries. Language constantly evolves, so it’s important to be aware of those shifts. A current example is the transition of the word drop to have the opposite meaning in some contexts. Some company marketing departments have already discovered that ‘dropping’ a product can cause consternation among older customers who like and use that product. Make sure you don’t have the same effect on your professor.
Finally, social media can have an impact on critical thinking. Take, for example, the many ‘history’ accounts that post an interesting picture or video with some descriptive text. Although entertaining, these are often wrong. The obvious risk is misinformation, but psychologists have also noted that if you adopt a skeptical approach, your critical thinking skills effectively tire, making them are less useful on things that matter, like an essay.
3. Social media is bad for your mental health
Few can argue with the negative effects of social media that many experience. Many of these are direct. Because people almost always put their best image forward, it can be easy to assume that their whole life is wonderful. You see a great holiday, an amazing night out, or happy times in the love of the family. But because you don’t see the dirty hotel room, the morning after the great night, or the bickering between siblings, you can only compare your imperfect life to the positives.
Alternatively, social media can promote feelings of disconnection or isolation. Seeing other people enjoying themselves without you can highlight that you are alone. This is especially the case if they are relatively near. And while it’s normal that people pursue different activities with different people, when you are made aware of it, it can affect your self-esteem.
Poor mental health, whatever its cause, impacts on every part of our life. If you are making yourself unhappy, or even angry, because of social media, that will affect the quality of your academic work.
How to deal with the problems of social media
The good news is that you don’t have to delete all your social media accounts. If you are concerned that social media is having an impact on your work, there are plenty of ways to address that. Common suggestions include deleting apps (but not the accounts), since the additional friction of using web apps will naturally limit your use, while not leaving you deprived. Another alternative is using screen-time controls if your devices have them.
However, don’t just try to rely on will power alone. The habits we have all developed around social media are largely unconscious, and will power is useless when we are checking our feeds without even thinking about it.
Whatever approach is right for you, though, it all starts with awareness. When you find yourself on a site, ask yourself why you are there, and whether you still need to be there. If you are having a ten-minute break, question if social media is the best way to take that break, and perhaps set a timer to make sure it is only ten minutes.
By using social media mindfully, we can ensure it doesn’t have a negative impact, but instead enriches our lives.