The age we live in is a digital one where the need to resort to technology at every step has apparently become unavoidable. The wide reach of the internet along with the easy availability of mobile technology has seen a virtual explosion in the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and others, taking up major chunks of our day to day lives. High school students, who are in the most crucial years of their academic life are exposed most to these modern forms of communication that have the potential to derail their academic progress.

Although social media is a very useful tool in the hands of students, many studies have shown the negative impact of these networks on academic performance. Students tend to delay the handing over of their assignments despite the awareness of the consequences of such a delay. This is known as Academic Procrastination.

There are several ways in which this attachment to social media is causing problems to students.

Accessibility of Information

Firstly, students today rely more on information that is easily available on social media platforms than in conventional libraries in order to get answers. This means that their focus has shifted from learning to accessing information.

Multi-tasking

Secondly, students attempt to multi-task. They try to check various social media platforms while studying, leading to reduced academic performance. The distraction by these social media sites adversely affects their ability to concentrate on their task at hand.

Wastage of Time

Students spend too much time on social media sites, and lesser time on their subjects. Facebook is the leading choice for college students across the world among all social media websites, and research suggests that not less than 80% to 90% of college students use Facebook as a form of communication. This takes away valuable studying time, resulting in late assignments, insufficient preparation for exams and tests and other negative results in academic performance.

Despite the allegation that social media can lead to academic procrastination is repeated loud and often, not everyone chooses to admit it. Students who are most affected are the ones to most loudly assert that their social media usage does not affect their academic work at all. Although it is a valuable tool for information, students need to avoid procrastination and learn the proper and wise use of this technology for the best results.