Did you know that 86% of high school students procrastinate? Social media has been one of the main causes of procrastination, and the media has made procrastination a bigger problem. TikTok and Instagram are the main distractions students face when trying to complete work which leads to less focus and more delays in getting work done.

At Wayne Valley High School, English and journalism teacher Mrs. Nazarko sees it firsthand in herself as well in her own children and students. She notices her kids and students losing focus because of social media.“As much as I enjoy the shenanigans on Instagram and Tik Tok, I wish I didn’t; I think I like it too much,” she said. Shocking that a teacher could admit to her social media addiction.

Sophomore Ally Marchese spends over 12 hours a week on social media. She says she procrastinates, especially with subjects she finds hard or difficult. She says TikTok and Instagram are her biggest distractions which causes her to procrastinate on her homework or other work she has a few times a day but that doesn’t stop her from getting her work done. Ally left me with these final words “Don’t stay up late on your phone it won’t help you in the long run, but I feel like I can’t say that because I love Tik Tok to much”

Freshmen Jenna Jatkar and Sarina Mukita also struggle with procrastination. Jenna’s screen time is only a few hours a day, but Sarina spends about nine hours daily on her phone. Sarina’s procrastination has caused her to get a little behind on a few assignments, and both girls admit it’s a challenge to stay focused. 

The research shows that TikTok is a major reason students procrastinate. Many even say they feel addicted to the app. Though students often complete their work, social media pulls their attention away and makes it harder to focus on school.

Procrastination has gotten pretty bad ever since COVID-19; more students have been struggling to concentrate and most of the students’ attention span has become significantly shorter. We can all agree both the students and teachers see and have the problem, but getting out of the habit is hard especially for the students with short attention spans.