Everyone is on the internet, and everyone lives by it. The internet has created an isolated world.  If you’re deep in your own reality, how are you living the reality around you? 

Whether you realize it or not, the internet has a major impact on your life. The internet effects your mindset, life decisions, and self -esteem. The internet can be highly beneficial as well as highly toxic.  

According to Times Magazine, “on average, people in the United States across all age groups check their phones 46 times per day.”  

With the amount times I’ve seen heads bowed down and shoulders slouched over, this statement is apparent here at South Broward High School.  

“I know this might sound terrible, but Snapchat is my life. From the filters to the effects, I cannot stay off the app for more than 20 minutes,” says senior Dontereous Gardner. Gardner has had the same Snapchat account since his freshmen year of high school. Currently, Gardner has over 1,000 views on Snapchat. He has also been nominated for “Social Media Abuser” for the senior superlatives. 

Social media sites like Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat influence how people view themselves and others. It has been proven that spending an excessive amount of time on social media websites can lower your self-esteem. It is beneficial to have a Digital Detox. 

A Digital Detox is a period during which a person refrains from using electronic devices such as smartphones or computers. Digital Detox is regarded as an opportunity to reduce stress, or focus on social interaction in the physical world. 

If you think about it, people never really realize what is happening in the world around them. It’s time to start living and not just existing.