Internet addiction is a real problem, especially for students. All the time you sink into trolling Facebook, reading Twitter and playing Farmville, after all, is time that’s coming from somewhere else – usually, your studies.
Recognizing the early warning signs is key, so you can curb the behavior before it affects your grades and the rest of your life. What things should you look out for?
- Obsessive internet use. If you spend every waking hour worrying about what you will tweet next, aching to read your emails or planning what you will do with your Farmville homestead, you’re likely obsessing.
- Increased tolerance to internet use. Remember the day when you needed to step out of the dorm after using the computer for a couple of hours? If you can now stand 12 hours straight of watching Facebook updates and reading RSS feeds, you might be developing a problem.
- Compulsive internet use. Do you find yourself reaching for your iPhone to sneakily launch Safari in the middle of an important class? The habit is getting compulsive.
- Negative repercussions of internet use. If internet use has adversely affected any area of your life, then you are developing a problem. The web is a great resource for research and communication, not a source of ills, so if you’re experiencing negative repercussions from it, that’s a huge tell-tale sign.
In such situations, you should work on limiting your internet use. Here are a few things you can do:
- Install a software for managing your internet time. Many of these types of utilities are available with student software discounts, so take advantage of them.
- Carry a different phone than your internet-enabled one. That old thing in the attic with the grayscale screen should do.
- Spend more time away from the computer. College is defined by a plethora of social and physical activities available at your disposal. Take advantage of them.