In today’s day and age it’s very rare to see teens or young adults reading in their free time. Social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, etc. are a normal everyday thing for most people. It gives people a platform to express their individuality and a place where they can communicate with one another. Although there are many benefits to such social media platforms, there are also downsides.

One of the downsides of avidly using social media is that one’s understanding and thoughtfulness diminishes. With so many opinions and open conversations it’s complicated to stay true to one’s honest opinion without the fear of being called out or ridiculed. It can also be because everything happens so quickly that many get overwhelmed and don’t even have time to process such conversations. Unlike social media, reading daily improves thinking and stronger analytical skills.

According to Lifehack, “Should you ever have an opportunity to discuss the book with others, you’ll be able to state your opinions clearly, as you’ve taken the time to really consider all the aspects involved”. This is an extremely important thing to attain, to be able to think for one’s self instead of following what others say out of fear. After a brief discussion with Saugus student, Vanessa Venus, she mentioned, “I believe social media is meant to be a place where you can openly discuss uncommon topics, which is great, but it leaves so much room for hateful and hurtful comments..that it almost creates certain boundaries around open ended conversations.” 

Another benefit is the tranquility and stress relief that comes with leisure reading. Especially in the middle of this worldwide pandemic, it’s very common and easy to feel lonely, stressed and overwhelmed. Sometimes the most beneficial thing to do is to turn off the cellphone and pick up a book. According to healtline.com, “The study found that 30 minutes of reading lowered blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of psychological distress just as effectively as yoga and humor did.” Because younger people grew up with technology being a regular part of their lives it’s easy for them to pick up the phone and use it as a distraction from their real lives instead of facing the issues they are experiencing. This plays a big part in why social media can be so toxic, people don’t want to personally solve their issues so instead they project that fear and anger onto others online.  On the contrary books help stimulate the brain’s activity and can even help readers reflect their issues on plots or specific characters. 

Turning off one’s cell phone and picking up a book can help us have a deeper and better understanding of things both in our personal lives and how we portray ourselves in society. Reading at least 30 minutes everyday should be on everyone’s to-do list.