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Millennial Life: Eat, Sleep, Work, Screens
Would you give up nearly a decade of your life looking at your cellphone?
Calculated by today’s usage, the average person spends a little over 76,500 hours – or 8.74 years – on a smartphone over a lifetime, according to a recent study by a mobile device comparison site, WhistleOut.
Unsurprisingly, millennials (born 1981 to 1996) spend the most time on their phones with an average of about 3.7 hours per day. When subtracting the average sleep time for adults (around nine hours), this amounts to almost one-fourth (23.1%) of their waking lives on a screen.
Generation X (born 1965 to 1980) comes in second with an average of about three hours per day, which amounts to 16.5% of their waking lives. Boomers (1946 to 1965) spend the least amount of time on their phones, with an average of 2.5 hours per day, factoring to about 9.9% of their waking lives.
However, the new generation, Generation Z (born after 1996), seems to dominate their precursors in smartphone usage and screen time: 95% of teens age 13 to 17 reported having a smartphone or having access to one, and 45% reported they are online constantly, according to a 2018 Pew Research study.
In a Twitter thread by a popular American YouTuber, Mr. Beast, fans shared their screen time reports, including how many hours they spend on their phones and what apps they used the most. Some reported screen time of well over 10 hours a day.
The majority of teens aged 13 to 17 (91%) say they use their phones to pass time, but a large share of them also say they use them to connect with others (84%) or learn new things (83%), according to Pew Research.
This widespread usage of smartphones has sparked worries among teens themselves, with 54% of U.S. teens saying they spend too much time on their phones. And 52% have also reported trying to take steps to reduce mobile phone use.
A JAMA Network study found that only 5% of 59,397 U.S. high school students surveyed spent a balanced time sleeping and staying physically active while limiting screen time.
Too much time on a phone has been linked to a number of physical and mental health risks.
In a study of 3,826 adolescents, researchers found an association between social media and television use with symptoms of depression, according to JAMA Pediatrics.
Increased screen time has also been linked with a higher risk of obesity and diabetes.
See all News Updates of the Day
Analysts say rate of college closures likely to increase
If current trends continue, the rate of college closures is expected to increase, according to a new study reported in Forbes.
Closures are more likely to affect private institutions, and while the number of closures might seem small on a national level, it could cause serious problems for the smaller and mid-sized communities where those colleges are located. (December 2024)
Judge upholds racial considerations in US Naval Academy admissions
Although the U.S. Supreme Court last year decided that civilian colleges and universities could not consider race or ethnicity in admissions, a judge ruled that the U.S. Naval Academy had established a national security interest in a diverse officer corps.
That means the academy – and other military service academies – can continue to consider race. A similar policy at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point has also been challenged, but that case has not yet gone to trial, according to a report in Navy Times. (December 2024)
Harvard recommends gap year as a strategic move
While some students and parents see the gap year as a waste of time, others see the break in academic studies as valuable for developing maturity, earning money or focusing goals.
MSN.com explains some of the reasons why Harvard – and other prestigious schools in the United States – are recommending that students take a gap year. (December 2024)
Student dilemma: Financial aid applications can expose undocumented parents
Many students in the U.S. rely on financial aid to attend colleges and universities, but as Julia Barajas reports in LAist.com, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid could cause a dilemma for students with an undocumented parent.
If students fill out the application, they will share their parents’ financial information – and potentially raise questions about their immigration status -- with the federal government. If they don’t fill out the application, they won’t get federal financial aid. (December 2024)
FDA: College students using ‘honey packets’ to enhance sex put themselves at risk
With TikTok videos promoting “honey packets,” the supplements marketed as sexual enhancements have become popular on college campuses.
But as Charles Trepany reports in USA Today, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that ingredients in the supplements could be potentially dangerous. (November 2024)
