General Interest
The Impacts of Social Media on the Brain
By Daphnen Mazuera
After a long day at school, you go on your phone and you see a bunch of notifications in your notification center. Some of these notifications are texts from your friends, and–oh, what’s that? It’s 5 separate notifications from social media apps: some are from Instagram, others from Facebook, and even TikTok, a rapidly growing social media app, as most of its users are teenagers. Your brain's first instinct is to immediately check these notifications, and now your brain is releasing dopamine as you go through these notifications eagerly.
The use of social media can release chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. Merely interacting with the user interface on a social media platform or your phone in general, is enough to release feel-good chemicals in your brain, but sometimes, it’s not always the best, regardless of how good it feels.
According to an article written in NeuLine Health, “How Social Media Affects Your Brain”, Hana Frenette wrote, “When using apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, users are viewing what seems like an endless scroll of photos, captions, comments, and tags. While users are processing this constant influx of information, additional app prompts and notifications are competing for attention and can cause individuals to displace their concentration across multiple incoming media streams.” This indicates that social media usage can reduce your ability to effectively be able to concentrate.
Recently, I conducted a survey that inquired about how social media made the participants feel emotionally and mentally. I gathered responses from about 24 students and when asked if their social media use, such as checking their notification inboxes, impacts their day to day activities such as doing basic tasks, like school assignments, about 54.2% percent said that yes, it did interrupt their tasks–some even added that they felt on edge if they did not do so. Noelle Kong, a Bayside High School freshman, said, “If I’m physically unable to check my notifications or my phone, I feel anxious, as I am not connected to the people who may want to reach me.”
Another question that students were asked in this survey was how long they could go without being on their phone. Some students said they could spend an hour without their phone while some said they could spend up to a month without it. Rachel Miranda, also a Bayside freshman, said she could go a “a few days” without her phone. This range, from an hour to a month, indicates that there is a sort of dependence on social media or overall phone usage.
An article written by Dr. Veissière and Professor Stendel, in Frontiers in Psychology, essentially concluded that all notifications we get on our phones–text messages, social media notifications, etc.- all release that feel good chemical, dopamine, because they all share the same function of fueling that human desire for social interaction.
As human beings rely on socialization, our phones and social media in general let us socialize more, hence the dependency on phone usage and that nerve racking feeling you get when you don’t check your phone for an hour or two.
Aiden J., a freshman at Bayside High School, said, “Yes, I do feel like I spend more time talking to people online than talking to people in person,” which does correlate with the statement that human beings are socially dependent. Megan Lin, another Bayside High School freshman, also reinforced this idea, saying, “I stay up late on social media sometimes.”
Social media use impacts the brain with an overall reliance and dependency that can lead to addiction.
The Dangerous Social Side Effects of Vapes
By Rayane Saoud
An issue that occurs throughout the school is the use of vapes in the hallways, stairways, and bathrooms. Vapes are battery-operated devices that use an electric pulse to heat and disperse a flavored liquid that typically contains nicotine.
Using vapes isn’t a one time occurrence. The students who vape tend to use it repeatedly in mostly stairways, bathrooms, and/or any other concealed areas. This can be very unfortunate for other students who happen to be in the vicinity of the vapers. The vapes tend to be expertly disguised to look like ordinary everyday items, such as pens, highlighters and other objects.
During the beginning of the school year, vaping hadn’t been an issue. In fact, the chances of witnessing someone actually vaping were extremely minimal. However, as the third and fourth weeks of school approached, vaping started to become more and more prominent.
According to Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse in the article “Vaping Rises Among Teens” by the National Institute of Health, “Teens are clearly attracted to the marketable technology and flavorings seen in vaping devices.” This demonstrates a reason why teen vaping might have become more prominent in schools. This is problematic, as the students might become more and more addicted to the vapes, and therefore have a hard time quitting. Vaping is especially prominent in stairways or concealed corridors, where the student won’t be noticed. This proves to be a larger problem for people who use those stairways, since they end up accidentally inhaling the smoke on the way to class. This also encourages traffic in the hallways which can cause students to be late to class.
Bayside High School freshman Xavier Cheung says, "I dislike vapes in school because this could cause me to get second hand smoke leading to the same effects as if I did vape." Vapes in school can also ruin the school environment and set a bad example for the school itself. The vapers may feel that vaping is beneficial or even just relaxing, but it comes with health risks to them and those around them who inhale the smoke.
Bayside High School freshman Muntazar Hussain says, “I don’t think vapes are good for the school environment since they can be harmful to some people’s lungs and ruin the school overall.” They tend to bother nearby people as well, and that is not something enjoyable.
Another Bayside High School freshman Carson Bynoe concurs, saying, “I hate vapes so much, they stink up the school, smell bad and make people addicted to the vape.” Vapes in general are bad and they shouldn’t be accessible to children.
Similarly, Bayside High School freshman Zoey Sze says, “Vapes should be banned. No one should have access to them.”
Overall, this sums up how vapes cause problems in school and the reasons there should be limited accessibility to them. They may end up bothering people who can’t tolerate the smoke, including people with asthma. According to the Vermont Department of Health, “Breathing in just a small amount of secondhand smoke that contains thousands of chemicals can cause a severe asthma attack.” Although the vapes already end up causing harm to people around the vapers, the effects it has on the vapers are even worse.
According to the NIH News IN Health, “Vaping may pose serious and avoidable health risks. Exposure to nicotine during youth can lead to addiction and cause long-term harm to brain development.”
Vapes will end up ruining the lives of many teenagers. In addition to addiction and long-term harm to brain development, they can also develop lung damage and lung cancer, which can drastically shorten their lifespan.
Influence of Technology and Modernization
By Jasmine Zheng
Today, technology is rapidly advancing and becoming more and more influential on our lives. The average American spends about 2 hours and 23 minutes on social media per day. Teenagers are found to have the most screen time out of all age groups. How does spending hours on social media affect our mental and physical health? There are many differing opinions on this issue.
According to an article, “How Social Media Affects Your Teen’s Mental Health: A Parent’s Guide” by Kathy Katella from YaleMedicine.org, the rise of mental health issues has increased steadily over the past decade. In 2023, the Surgeon General of the United States, Vivek Murphy published an advisory called Social Media and Youth Mental Health. It showed the growing evidence that social media has a negative impact on the mental health of the youth. Examples of how social media can negatively affect our mind and body are: attention span issues, sleep disruption, and increased feelings of the fear of missing out. In the following year (2024), Dr. Murphy launched a call to action for a Surgeon General’s warning label to be placed on social media platforms. However, this is not a simple issue. While there are harmful risks involved, some may argue about the benefits social media has to offer, such as fostering positive connections, information access, and educational potential.
Social media is heavily relied on for information and entertainment. Bayside High School sophomore Rachel Boynton says, “Social media has completely altered my old habits. Before getting social media, I would spend less than two hours on my phone. However, ever since I acquired it, I’ve noticed an increase in my frequent usage of social media compared to my usual routine.” Social media can be addictive because it activates the reward system in our brain which produces chemicals that make us feel good such as dopamine. However, Rachel also feels that social media is like a treasure trove of knowledge and inspiration. She has discovered so many new things online, such as learning a new language, and picking up a new hobby, like riding a bike or playing a sport. “It's amazing how much growth and self-improvement I’ve experienced thanks to social media,” she said.
Similarly, Vedant Jaggi, a sophomore at Bayside High School says, “Social media has affected my life by not only providing entertainment, but also by helping me reduce stress and increase my motivation. I am influenced by social media because it helps me form opinions and provides day to day information.”
Mr. Shein, a teacher at Bayside High School, feels that social media is a waste of time. He does not have any social media. “Socially, I don’t care what people have to say if I don’t know them.” Mr. Shein would rather read the news to get information and continue to be occupied with more meaningful tasks, such as walking his dog.
Others however, have mixed feelings about the impact of social media. Bayside High School Assistant Principal of English/ENL Mrs. Tessenholtz, believes social media has both positive and negative effects. Hours can sometimes go by, just scrolling through social media. The news and information that is shown is not always true. She also feels that she needs to protect her children from what they could potentially see on social media. But on the other hand, Mrs. Tessenholtz says that she relies on videos, clips, etc. for class to make lessons more engaging for students.
It is important to consider that the impact of social media can vary based on usage, individual personality, and mental health status. Taking the effort to practice mindful habits such as setting time limits and filtering our feed can help reduce potential negative effects. Taking regular breaks and prioritizing in person communication enhances both mental and physical health.
History of Christmas: Traditions and Religious Roots
By Amelia Shivdayal
Christmas is celebrated worldwide on December 25 of every year. It is a sacred religious holiday celebrated by Christians, or more widely celebrated as a festive holiday. It is also a commercial phenomenon for others, as Christmas often accompanies presents, lights, parades, parties, Christmas trees, and a visit from Santa. Christians celebrate Christmas because it is the day Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem in a stable. His parents Mary and Joseph could not find room at the inn, which led his mother to wrap him in cloth and place him in a manger. Jesus was then visited by three wise men, who brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
People around the world have been observing Christmas with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular over the years. Popular customs have included exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, and sharing meals with family and friends. Christmas is the best time of the year because it is the time when friends and family come together to spend quality time sharing stories, celebrating special moments and events. Holiday celebrations often happen with laughter, music, exchange of gifts, feasting, and capturing special moments. Some may go out to visit the tree in Rockefeller Center, or see a religious show like the Rockettes or Broadway
It is very important to spend time with all your family, especially with your grandparents during Christmas. Christmas day became a federal holiday in the United States on December 25th 1870. Over the past few centuries, Christmas has had a steadily growing economic effect in many regions of the world: over 3 billion cards sold and sent across the country, lights and Christmas trees sold in cities and throughout the country, gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festivities involved for economic growth. The holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses.
Students at Bayside High School shared their insight on their favorite Christmas traditions. For instance, Sophomore Jaden Lee Kane commented, “One of the holiday traditions is, every year, I spend Christmas at my cousins’ house, and we all wake up together, sit around the tree, open gifts, and just spend quality family time. We’ve done this every year since I was a little girl, and I truly wait for this time of year because we all reunite as a big family’’. Bayside High School Sophomore Mercedes Reyes commented, “We love to play softball in the snow, and we turn it into a star on our tree.” Bayside High School English Teacher Ms. Lombardo said, “I spend time with family, cook special dishes, and exchange gifts”. Similarly, another Bayside High School English Teacher Ms. Serpe said, “My family is Italian and on Christmas eve, I spend time with my family with food and seafood. And then Christmas morning, we open gifts and get a smaller dinner”.
I am lucky because I get to spend time with both sides of my family. My mom's side is famous for good food, great gifts, and fun parties. My dad’s side of the family, who are Pentecostal Christians shares Bible stories, watch the Ten Commandments movie (starring Charleston Hester), and take pictures with my cousins and grandparents.
