Words Of Wisdom from POTUS

A couple of weeks ago, as I sat on the late bus and took a break from my phone, I began to observe my fellow schoolmates, their tendencies, and behaviors. Some students were sleeping, and others were cramming in some homework. However, most of the students stared blankly at their screens, scrolling through the likes of YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, or TikTok. It was a truly disheartening, disappointing, depressing, and demotivating sight to see.

 Later that week, I discussed with Dr. McLain and the students at the philosophy roundtable the impact phones have on kids and how scrolling has damaged the youth experience. Students used to be able to stare out of a bus window without any external stimulation, but now there is a constant need for entertainment. 

The effects can be seen in schools as students lack the attention span to sit attentively in class or complete homework assignments in one sitting. It seems people need constant information in the shortest form possible, which is severely impacting productivity. 

Rather than continuing to ruminate over the problem, I prefer to find solutions. We began brainstorming ways that society can fix this issue before it’s too late. The common solutions are usually restricting short-form social media altogether through time limits and parental restrictions. Riverdale’s “Heads Up” policy is a prime example of a solution for kids when in an academic setting. However, many solutions are unpopular among younger generations. 

Riverdale Alum Natan Kramskiy presented a more practical solution. Rather than trying to resist our habits, we should acknowledge them and use them to our advantage. His solution is to reprogram your algorithm by following accounts that will improve your life. 

I have begun following multiple different philosophy and self-help accounts, which have improved my life and perspectives on the world. Try following accounts that align with your passions. They can be cooking accounts, nutrition accounts, sports accounts, or anything that will enhance your view of the world and help pursue your passions.