The youth today cannot imagine life without the internet. They tell Rosamma Karishma Joseph how they spend their time online
The time I spend on the internet is usually laid out in front of me at the end of each month in the form of a really long internet bill accompanied by a really long lecture from my parents," said Jaseena Sapna Yousuf, a grade 12 student from Our Own English High School, Sharjah.
As with Jaseena, the same happens with many students her age. Most are hooked to the internet, spending hours online, meeting friends, sending emails, downloading songs and yes, researching for college and school work.
To find out what most of young adults do on the internet, Notes spoke to some high school students about the quantity and quality time they spend surfing the net.
Students' speak
"I think, today's youth are addicted to the internet. On an average, I spend around three to four hours on the internet per week.
"During this time, I spend 90 minutes downloading songs, and half-an-hour emailing friends and relatives, another half-an-hour chatting and an hour and a half on any research.
"The internet creates a borderless world whereby the entire planet can be traced on my palms, since worldwide information is available in a split second.
"As far as entertainment is concerned, I watch movies, read books, and listen to music on the internet as much as possible. In addition, it also enables me to plan my future career in years ahead by knowing the availability of various academic courses.
"Internet also facilitates e-shopping; thereby avoiding the physical visits to shops from. Internet is a must for me and I am sure it's the same for many."
- Jyothsna Durgadoss, 11D, Our Own English High School, Sharjah
"When it comes to the net, it is quite obvious that youngsters cannot live without it. Whether it has good effects or bad ones depends on what each individual does on the net. I, in fact spend just about two hours on it; most of the time browsing sites and emailing, 15 minutes on research and only 10 minutes chatting.
"While doing projects, research, etc., the net is indispensable, but in the aspect of leisure and enjoyment, you can avoid it. After all, you can always go back to the old fashioned way, i.e., phone conversations, books, etc!"
- Varsha Manoj, 8D, Our Own English High School, Sharjah
"The time I spend on the internet is usually laid out in front of me at the end of each month in the form of a really long internet bill accompanied by a really long lecture from my parents.
"It really is difficult to figure out how long teenagers can spend on the internet since their purposes vary a great deal.
"From utilising the internet to send and receive e- mails, chat online, download music and other freeware, play games, blog, and extend your social network (making new friends) to educational research, project work and when required...even exam revision. Teens can take from a few minutes to a few hours!
"Frankly speaking, chatting online takes up maximum time everyday as we, teenagers, have finally found a replacement for the once miraculous invention commonly known as 'the telephone'.
"Browsing and downloading a variety of files is a passionate hobby for music, movies and software buffs and this can go on and on for hours (once again) depending on the number of files to be downloaded and the speed of the connection.
"The internet has become a platform for people to share information and to expose their talents through different forms of creativity too. To me, the internet is my window to the world and a multipurpose telephone-camera for my comrades.
"Reaching out and discovering what the various people of this world have to offer is what I love to do on the internet."
- Jaseena Sapna Yousuf, 12D, Our Own English High School, Sharjah
"I do think that today's youth is addicted to the internet. I usually access it on alternate days unless - I have something important to do - for about 25-35 minutes.
"If I have any school work I spend about an hour on the net and if I don't, then I spend at least 30-35 minutes. That is only because I have to study also otherwise, I'd like to browse the net and chat with my friends etc.. for at least one hour.
"I cannot do without the internet, as it has almost become a necessity in my life, because it is useful for our studies and offers a variety of things to do."
- Anuja Upadhya, 8 D, Our Own English High School, Sharjah
"Yes, I definitely think that today's youth are addicted to the net. On school days I spend one-and-a-half hours on the net, while on weekends I spend a total of four-and-a-half hours.
"We usually don't get any work that must be done with the help of the internet in school, and I do not chat online with people. So the majority of my time on the net is on leisure.
"Everything has its pros and cons, and so does the internet. I have to say that we cannot do without it, as we get so much knowledge from sites such as Wikipedia, and we get to chat and send emails to friends overseas for free.
"Holiday projects from school are usually done through researching on the net. I use the internet mostly, for listening to music and surfing Wikipedia for quizzes."
- Shruti Sardesai, 9 A, Our Own English High School Sharjah
"With the changes in modern technology and the introduction of the internet, all today's youth is addicted to it.
"On an average, I spend around five hours a week on the net.
"After spending about an hour on project work (if any) and about two to three hours on studies, I love to go on the net to check and send mails to friends, chat and download games, songs or images, which takes a longer time.
"Internet has become part and a parcel of our daily lives, so we feel our lives are empty and meaningless without it."
- Chris J Varela, 9 BC, Our Own English High School, Sharjah
The writer is a student of Our Own English High School, Sharjah
