If you are currently reading this, then it should go without saying that you have access to either a smartphone or a computer. Both devices are an integral part of daily life for young people, yet they are often used for means that don’t further the user’s knowledge. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to spend your free time being entertained, but that time could also be put towards bettering yourself in a variety of ways.

The Internet allows users to access information about almost anything, with increased access to information also comes the increased opportunity to learn. Social media applications such as Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram do provide benefits to users, but for the most part do not contain information that is intellectually stimulating. Many people use these applications as a tool to relax their mind after using it on daily activities such as work, school and social relationships. This time could be used in a beneficial way to advance your life in any of these aspects, with long term results being gained in the process. With limitless options given it’s now undeniably easier to gain new skills or knowledge, but you first have to make the choice to do so.

Much of the attraction with social media revolves around being able to stay on top of current news, trends, and social phenomenon. It also promotes instant gratification, allowing users to view what they want, when they want, all with an underlying foundation of expediency behind it. Social media lets users tailor their newsfeed to just information they need or prefer; this is the focal point of my argument. By purposefully changing daily habits and sticking to them the possibilities are endless. In two years someone can learn a foreign language, in a month they could become a self-taught expert in a software program that future jobs would require. These examples both require mental exercise and ambition to learn, something that we are all more than capable of.

The next time you find yourself watching the same sports highlight, or watching yet another video of a Kardashian, remember that each second of that time could have been applied to something more genuinely beneficial to your life. Using just 15 minutes a day then turns into 105 minutes a week, and 91 hours a year. Think about how much time you spent on a class last semester, then what you got out of the class. This same principle is applied over longer periods of time, just with different parameters.

Using your own free will and deciding to expand your learning environment outside of work and scholastic settings is not only a smart choice, but also an easy one.