By Mary Lerner

Glued to your phone must be the new look. As I glance around the classroom, more than half of my classmates are fiddling with their phones. Phones are being pulled out during learning for texting friends or looking up another class’s homework. Cellphone use is common at parties and dinners with friends for selfies and tweeting what’s happening. It’s like socialization has transferred from face-to-face into phone-to-phone and everyone has to record what they are doing.

More than three-quarters of all teens own cellphones, according to a 2011 study conducted by Pew Internet and American Life Project. Teens have this modern smartphone granting access to a whole variety of apps, people, and information. The main use is for pure socialization. In fact, they socialize on phones so much it’s like they’ve forgotten about real interaction.

I too am logged onto social network sites. I have Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. I don’t update my status or post pictures as regularly as most but some of my friends are adamant about their updates. Sometimes you are pressured to be connected on these social sites. It gives you popularity based on followers and likes, meaning more people are your “friends” and want to socialize online. More people want to know what your doing. Connecting to your followers or friends on these social sites is a way of interacting with everyone all at once. It gives you the ability tell everyone what you are up to. Instead of just paying attention to what is happening, the event must be documented.

I believe that because of phones, we have forgotten to live in the present. People use phones to record concerts instead of enjoying them fully. They are stuck watching the live show on their tiny phone screen. Teenage girls sit on their phones while hanging out with each other, watching to see what their Facebook friends are posting. Instead of enjoying the time together, the girls are keeping updated on what everybody else is doing. It seems that it is like this way for everyone.

Us teenagers could take a step back from technology and see what’s in the now. Using phones for socializing and entertainment is all good but we can’t forget interaction is available in person.