Why Did You Really Buy Your Phone?

By: Farah Al-Takrouri

Edited by: Danya Nahas, Noor Naeem, Kezban Halavuk

 

 

 

Nowadays, you see smartphones everywhere, whether it is someone using social media to talk to their friend, calling their mother, checking the weather to see if it is going to rain, using a GPS to find a new supermarket, or even playing a game while waiting in line for a Happy Meal. Many people have at least done one of the things listed above more than once. Over the generations, the phone has been through many phases that led to what it is today, from Alexander Graham Bell’s phone, to Steve Jobs and Samsung creator Lee Byung-Chul. These inventions have changed our lives and much more.

 

In middle school at AIS-R, many people can relate to this. Out of 327 people in the middle school, only 37 don’t have a phone: three eighth graders, 11 seventh graders, and 23 sixth graders. That is about 11% of the middle school. Over the years, more and more people have been buying phones at younger ages than before.

 

Phones can be used for many purposes, such as social media, games, texting, and calling. Most of them are to keep in contact with parents/guardians if there is an emergency, then downloaded other apps. I can relate to this because I bought my phone for social media and to contact my parents in emergencies.

 

“Yes I use social media, but I first bought my phone to call and text, and then social media came a year after I got my phone and I just downloaded it.” says Lina Shaker, an eighth grade student who uses her phone frequently. Many students like Lina bought their phone for the same purpose and started to use social media after they got a phone, like Farris Al Qalam.

 

“I bought my new phones mainly cause of social media and the fact that they are new phones but the first phone I got was only meant for calling people and thats when I started looking at social media and downloading them and see what social media can do.[sic]” remarked Farris.

 

According to Layan Al Kaelani, another eighth grade student, “I bought it really to contact my family and people surrounding me and for the social media too.”

 

Social media has been one of the major things that keep teens on their phones all day long, and this results in less sleeping hours, incomplete homework, grades slipping, and more. Some parents are uncomfortable with teens using their phones for so long.

 

Lina says, “My dad gets annoyed every now and then but he never took my phone away because they see it as a way as communication and to stay in touch. [sic]”

 

“I’m not worried about her [my daughter] being on the phone too much, but she is on her iPad for an excessive amount of time occasionally.” mentioned Mr. Brian Blazek, an eighth grade humanities teacher. He says that she only uses her phone for a little chatting and to play games sometimes, so he isn’t really concerned as he claimed before. Parents whose children spend excessive time on their phones are the ones who are concerned, not the parents whose children spend a reasonable amount each day on their phone.

Because some people spend a lot of time on their phones, they have to leave some old activities they used to do to make time for their phone. Most of these activities are activities that are daily like Noor Naeem and the time she used to spend with her family. She spends more time on her phone than with her family. But this isn’t just at AIS-R; it is everywhere. Students worldwide are also spending less time doing what they used to do before they had a phone.

 

“Well, when I was younger, I used to have more exercising and going out a lot, but since the phone came, it’s really rare to find yourself going out face to face with others. I would actually like to go to this old habit instead of texting and everything, but life has changed.” expresses Layan.

 

Nowadays it seems like people can’t go anywhere without their phone, and it is affecting students more than they understand. With an increasing number students at AIS-R being almost glued to their phones, it is a concern for parents and students themselves. There are many solutions to stop using phones for a long time, but the bigger problem is getting people to try these solutions.