Saturday, 1 February 2014

Adventurers Guide To College: Social Media Distractions 101

By Hedrick Lepsch


As a college student in the 21st century, it is no easy task trying to keep yourself focused. With new cool gadgets coming out every day, it is just getting easier and easier to spend time on the latest tablet, phone, or game. Everyone is connected with devices such as these and trying to keep yourself focused while studying and keep these distractions out can seem like running up a river. But there is hope! Below are a few of the game changers to help you deal with this impossible task and pick up your grades in doing so.

With the technology that exists today, you can stay in touch with family easily. Whether it is through the occasional text message, email or phone call you can let your family know that you are thinking of them. Unfortunately you cannot communicate with home pets this way but you can use Google Hangout or Skype to video chat and see your family and pets that way.

You may not want to completely rid yourself of the outside world of social media so perhaps the first thing you could do is turn off your notifications on your phone. Every chime, noise, or signal can leave you losing your train of thought. Plan times when you can check your phone and stick to them. Keep yourself on a strict schedule.

Since you have established strong bonds with your best friend over the years, the potential pitfalls of living together as college roommates could definitely be avoided. It could actually help you learn even more about each other and strengthen your relationship. Also, having a strong and proven support person alongside you as you embark on college life can have many benefits.

You may want to rationalize how this can affect you but the bottom line is that your studies are more important than looking at what your friend had for lunch on Facebook. Turn off your phone completely, not just vibrate, and plan to turn it back on at the end of your class or when you are done studying.

Getting involved in the community and making new friends can be easier said than done. If you are having trouble doing that or just find extra time on your hands, find a hobby to distract yourself.

Studying at your apartment can make it easy for you to cave when your friends are around indulging in what you want to be a part of with phones, etc. Rid yourself of these temptations. Try studying at a park on a blanket, or go try out your public library. You will have a much more enjoyable and liberating study this way.

It doesn't matter if you are studying Business Administration, Accounting, Property Management, Event Planning, New Media Marketing, or Programming; we are all eventually susceptible to the pangs of home sickness. Everyone deals with it in different ways but what is important to remember is that it is possible to overcome. Once you are able to find your place in your new surroundings, you will not have the same feeling of home sickness you had before.




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