There are almost always other things a student would rather be doing than working on homework and studying. Whether that be playing sports and games or hanging out with friends.

Another common distraction that has only recently evolved would be social media and the internet. As social media is becoming so much more popular, students all over the country and in various grades spend a large amount of their time communicating online.

The internet has recently become such a huge part of our everyday lives, providing many benefits but also providing some disadvantages. In schools there are usually strict rules about phone use in classrooms because of the temptation and the constant distraction.

Outside of school when the time is on your hands, instead of working on homework and studying for tests and quizzes students usually turn to their smart phone, computers and tablets. Applications such as Netflix and Hulu provide multiple shows and movies which students can spend hours watching. When it comes to platforms like inkedIn, there are linkedin tools these days to make the whole process of staying present and connected easier.

“I sit down to watch a 45 minute show but then end up watching 2 or more episodes because I dread the thought of homework,” said Lily Berrios (’18).

Berrios said she always gets her homework done she just needs a break because of the long hours spent at Cherry Hill East.

Netflix and Hulu have the ability to steal someone’s time for hours due to the fact that students would much rather watch their favorite shows and movies than work on their homework. It also provides a way to procrastinate the workload.

Leaving things to the absolute last minute is a popular trend for students in high school because there are so many ways to procrastinate, so many things they would rather be doing, the internet is not the only one.

Time spent online and the time spent dilly dallying are both ways students avoid getting their work done. If the internet was not relevant in today’s world, students would still find something to distract them from their school work.

Social media and watching movies is anything but a distraction for some students. Students like Nicole Harms (’18) use the applications as a reward when she completes her homework and studying.

“I like to provide myself with a motivator” said Harms. The internet in this case provides a reason for students to work their hardest in order to get it done.

There are many other activities to do on the internet, social media included. Social media is a huge distraction in schools and throughout the school day. Snapchat is a prime example.

Schools have to take measures like blocking the applications because students are messing around on their phones rather than paying attention. While blocking the apps can cause many students to be upset and frustrated with the school, they will not want to sue up their minutes or data, so it prevents them from going off Wi-Fi in order to use the apps.

Many students listen to music on the internet on popular sites such as Spotify and Sound Cloud. Listening to music can be a huge distraction for some students because they can sing and dance along to their favorite songs and this prevents work from getting done.

Many students argue that listening to music helps them focus and makes students a little less uneasy when it comes to actually doing their work if they can mix it with something they highly enjoy.

Berrios said, “Listening to music helps me stay on task.”

The internet has many distractions that can prevent work form getting done, but it can be used in a positive manner as well. The internet is a wonderful resource but has negative outcomes when taken advantage. Taking away privileges can help students realize that the internet is exactly that, a resource.