Social media fills a large part of student life, but the way students use it and how it affects them varies widely. Daily screen time ranges from just a few minutes to several hours, and scrolling often takes up more time than posting.
“I usually spend around 15 to 30 minutes on social media each day,” said Sabana Prawiro, 10. In contrast, Olivia Watkins, 9, estimated “around 2 hours or so,” and Mia Delker, 10, reported “Roughly around five hours and 22 minutes.”
Despite these differences, a shared concern appears across all three experiences which include excessive scrolling. Prawiro described it directly, saying, “I think students scroll too much,” while Delker echoes the same idea, noting, “Many people scroll too much.”
When given the option between overposting and overconsumption, students give different perspectives.
Delker points to scrolling as the bigger issue explaining that overconsumption matters more because it allows people to lose track of time while taking in endless content.
Watkins shifted the focus to posting — “Maybe over posting more because you could share too much.”
Prawiro sees both as connected, explaining that they, “cause people to crave attention and keep wanting more.”
The effects of social media often show up in daily routines and well being.
Prawiro admits, “After scrolling, I always feel like I wasted my time,” highlighting a sense of lost productivity.
Watkins connects heavy usage to emotional and academic impacts, saying it can “make you have a worse mood, get less sleep, and fall behind on schoolwork.” Delker adds that it also disrupts rest, explaining that their phone is “always there,” making it hard to disconnect.
Some students try to manage their habits with limits and tools. Prawiro said, “I downloaded an app to block social media, and I’ve been able to actually focus.”
Watkins also uses restrictions, sharing, “I do have an hour limit…I think it helps me be on it less.”
Delker attempted a similar approach but said, “It did not work out.”
As social media continues to shape daily routines, students describe a growing awareness of how easily scrolling can take over time, attention, and balance.
