According to the traditional definition, a phone is a portable device that can make and receive calls using a radio frequency link while the user is moving within a telephone service area. But I believe that it’s time to change this technical definition. My phone in recent years has become a living creature for me; it’s my “frenemy.” This small device is a part of my social life, emotional journey, physical life and the cause for my mental breakdowns.
It has been my savior in certain situations but at times I have wanted to throw it out of the window.
I am 15 years old, and for most people my age phones are their lives. Their life is defined by the technology of their phones. When anyone usually declares this, parents become agitated and instantly start screaming at their children. Yes, I agree that an overuse could be disastrous but most of your daily activities depend on the device. Especially in these unprecedented times, how are we going to stay connected with friends if we cannot text or call them? Teenagers regard their phone as a necessary component for sustaining a good social life. And when I say “important,” I mean “absolutely must have!” About 57% of youngsters said their cell phone improved their lives. The world is developing, social media is the new platform to express yourself and voice your opinions. Being active on social media provides you with a global presence that comes along with responsibility.
These days, mobile devices are rarely just phones. They are electronic entertainment gadgets that are carried about with you. This feature alleviates a frequent ailment among us: boredom.
“My teenager has two settings,” one parent recently stated: “sleep and bored.” By giving instant access to music, photos, games, and video, mobile gadgets help youngsters to occupy their otherwise idle brains and hands. Parents might not know this, but having a cell phone with us at all times actually makes teens feel secure and safe. With a phone, help is just a tap away. When it comes to planning or modifying social plans, mobile phones provide more freedom than any prior generation has seen. Text messaging allows groups to be redirected to new locations in seconds.
Teenagers used their phone for an average of about nine hours daily in 2020, but my record is five hours a day. Most of my friends got their phone at the age of 8 or 9, I was given my mother’s old phone in 2019 when I was 12 years old. My parents have always been strict about how I spend my time. They would rather have me do nothing the entire day than give me a phone and watch me get addicted.
Everyone knows that teens need social media and that 90% of teenagers have at least three social media apps on their phone. I am in the remaining 10% of teenagers with only Snapchat on my phone – which I rarely use. I personally find Instagram very exciting and innovative to use with its reels and filters, although I am not allowed to download the app. The majority of my time is spent on Pinterest or WhatsApp. I generally use WhatsApp to connect with friends and family, while Pinterest helps me find innovative ideas to spice up my room and some of the most hilarious memes.
Apart from that my phone is used to call friends, research and submit school assignments.
As teenagers who are soon going to be filling out college applications, our phones are extremely advantages for networking. Gaining mentors and sponsors has become exceptionally easy. I have been able to contact professionals in my field of interest and gain hours of advice by talking to them, all through my phone. I am also planning to develop my LinkedIn profile which will help me with job opportunities in the future.
A worldwide issue associated with teenagers currently is their unhealthy mental health. I have recently downloaded a few apps such as MoodFit, Sanvello and Happify to cope with stress and anxiety. Similarly for my health goals I have an app called MyFitnessPal that tracks my daily steps and activities along with water intake. Being a student I have to have my daily schedules in place and thus I use Google Calendar and Todoit to plan my days and track assignments.
Like a normal teen I also have YouTube, Netflix and Snapchat.
Here is my definition of the phone: an advanced device that helps build bold personalities, improve their lifestyle, provides an exposure to the entire world and develops humanity.
