There’s not a single day my friends in class would not discuss a TV program they watched the previous day in class. I felt left out anytime they discussed a program and was not able to contribute because I wasn’t the TV type. I got induced by the attitude of watching television. I found the positive and negative sides of watching television as a student; reasons I put up this article.
Television has become an ubiquitous presence in most households around the world, and its impact on the daily lives of students cannot be overstated. While there are certainly many advantages of television, such as instant entertainment and extended coverage of important world events, in my opinion, television is harming students more than helping them.
To begin with, one of the detrimental effects of television is that it encourages a sedentary lifestyle. Instead of engaging in physical activities, students spend hours glued to the television screen, neglecting other crucial activities that promote their physical and mental well-being, such as sports, exercise, and socializing with friends and family. This couch-potato behavior can eventually lead to obesity, numerous health problems, and decreased academic performance.
Furthermore, television has negative effects on students' emotional and psychological well-being. Excessive consumption of violent and sexually explicit content on TV can lead to desensitization of children and teenagers, making them emotionally numb to real-life traumatic events, and can fuel aggressive behavior and addiction. Children who spend more than five hours per day watching TV are also more likely to have problems with sleep, concentration, and communication, which can affect their academic and personal lives.
In conclusion, while television can certainly be a useful tool for education and entertainment, its drawbacks often outweigh its benefits when used excessively. To mitigate these negative effects, parents and educators should encourage children to manage their television screen time, and promote healthy alternative activities that prioritize physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing. By putting the student's development first, we can ensure a healthy future for our children.
Awen-Akan Yidi Vanimi
Mary Star of the Sea School
Kasoa.