Cell phones offer vast amounts of academic information, which is easily the number one advantage of them. Online encyclopedias, various websites and online university libraries have led to swifter research and easier access to all sorts of credible sites.

With these advantages comes the problem of coming across all sorts of fake and uncredible sources, which serve as roadblocks to student’s papers, research projects, video essays, etc.

College students will most likely use a laptop or computer for research over a cell phone because of convenience. Why am I targeting cell phones to critique if the convenience is on computers?

Calls and notifications with audible or vibrating tones are incredibly distracting, and often leads to additionally scrolling on the internet. Every time a notification dings or someone looks through their phone, a hint of dopamine (a feel-good hormone) is released in the brain, according to Piedmont.org. Since it is only a hint of dopamine, it leads to a great letdown, leading someone to want more.

Teenagers and young adults are hooked to social media platforms. The desire to see what the next trend or viral short is takes so much time away from more important things that they need to do, like school.

Cell phones’ luxury and addictive quality are things to take with grains of salt. For university students, give yourself phone breaks and use the devices to the best of ability.