Are Gen Z students the start of an academic downfall? With the world of technology ever-evolving and not even near to reaching its prime, its impact has definitely taken over numerous student’s lives (and not in a good way).
The presence of TikTok and YouTube shorts are feeding Gen Z students with millions of hours of content everyday. These media platforms are shortening attention spans with their 15 to 60-second videos. What’s even more unique about these videos are their niche approaches: having the application’s algorithm tracking what you like or dislike, curates the content specifically targeted to each person.
Whatever it may be — ranging from books, movies, video games — the internet most likely has it all. More recently, a new phenomenon has emerged, significantly impacting the academic landscape for Generation Z students. Dubbed “brain rot”, this trend describes the obsessive engagement with digital media. As predicted, the term “brain rot” is often to the detriment of educational pursuits and intellectual growth.
With most of SCC’s students being Gen Z (students born from the 1990s to 2010s), realizing that brain rot might be an ongoing “virus” amongst them might be something to shine light upon. That leads to the question, due to this phenomena, will Gen Z’s academic pursuits survive?
“I just feel like my brain stops working, it feels like I have a slow brain. I get confused a lot — I hate it,” an international student at SCC, Cicilia Sudiono, said regarding her experience of brain rot.
It is not just Sudiono, many social media users are experiencing this — call it an endemic if you must.
“I used to experience it as well, mostly during COVID. It’s when your brain feels slightly more cloudy and less awake after excessive tech use,” Kenneth Pangestu, another international student at SCC said.
But, more importantly, what is brain rot? To define it in proper terms: it’s essentially a state of cognitive overload and distraction. As mentioned earlier, students are constantly bombarded with short, engaging content that provides immediate gratification but lacks intellectual depth. This can lead to a reduced attention span, as predicted, as well as a spike in disinterest when it comes to academic tasks.
“Watching too much useless content on social media creates cognitive decline. It should be stopped,” Sudiono continued.
There are several words that Gen Z students use these days that are not normally used by the older generations. Those may include weird-sounding dictions including: “sigma”, “rizz”, “skibidi”, “gyatt” and more. These words have no particular meaning but Gen Z students all over the world have taken it from content they’ve seen online and used them in their daily lives. It truly is concerning as in the academic world, to act scholarly is incredibly necessary.
It is certain that it is hard to let go of electronic devices and social media. To eventually be “addicted” to said things is sometimes inevitable — it is everything that exists around us. Although, to know your limits to excel in educational pursuits is something Gen Z should be considering highly.
Knowing that, this leads us to wonder — how to reduce brain rot? How can anyone, especially Gen Z students at SCC escape and heal from this endemic?
- Limit screen time: Set a limit for yourself everyday how much time you want to spend on your electronics and social media.
- Pursue non-digital interests and activities: Partake in a new hobby or club at school or elsewhere where it encourages you to do more hands-on experience.
- Be physically active: Instead of laying in bed, get moving and go on a walk. It is better to enjoy life’s natural landscape than a digital one.
- Make connections with people in the real world: Befriend people or other students! Ask them to hang out and do fun activities together.
Truth be told: it is definitely easier said than done, but by implementing those beneficial tips, day by day and taking small baby steps — it is very possible to achieve a better life and excellence in school. Gen Z students really need a blaring wake up call. They need a reminder that brain rot doesn’t have to be the outcome of social media use, when you live a happily balanced life. With patience everyone can succeed.
