Students get home from school, and the first thing they do is scroll aimlessly through Twitter and Instagram. Even though students know how much homework they have, they would rather ignore all problems by Snapchatting pictures back and forth to keep a streak.  

Students try balancing school while simultaneously keeping up with the world outside of academics. This affects students’ grades, friendships, and life in and out of school.  It might be easier to scroll through social media, but is it really worth the time?   

“The first thing I do when I get home from school is get updated on all social media,” Colby Flaig, freshman, said. 

According to an Instagram poll of 175 students in Cherokee County, 88 percent of students check social media right when they get home from school, while the other 12 percent do their homework first.  

“I use it when I need a break from my school work, and it gives me access to information I can use in school,” Ethan Underwood, senior, said. 

Students are not the only people worried about their next test grade. Parents are, too. 

“[I am a] firm believer in see it, hear it, write it, retain it, when relying on social media devices, retention is lost because there is a connection lost in the brain processing when all senses are not engaged,” Jeanie Kapcsos, Etowah parent, said. 

An article on http://malaysianstudent.com states that, “Due to the free accessibility of information on online networks and throughout the web, the students have an extremely reduced focus on the learning process.” 

Many students say they check social media after school because they feel the need to know what is going on, especially after seven hours at school. The question is: Should students be studying for their next test or should students be waiting for their next text?