BENGALURU: Pre-university exams are around the corner, set to start on March 9, and the fever has already set in. When earlier the only distraction was the Idiot Box, the millenials today have to resist multiple temptations a fingertap away. There is after all WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook (WTF), Instagram and Snapchat.
Mobile phone and social media are their closest frenemies, with constant updates eating into their time and dividing their attention. A few PU students who spoke to City Express say that they have deactivated their social media accounts for the sake of exams and to soothe parents and to stay ‘connected’ with studies.
Aditi (name changed), an arts student from Bishop Cotton Women’s College, has deactivated her Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat accounts but is active on WhatsApp.
“I use WhatsApp mostly for texting. But, I am often tempted to change my status updates and put up photos.
Yesterday, I put up a photo of my books and at least five of them replied asking how my preparations were going. After this, I lost almost three hours chatting with them,” she says. Aditi adds that she used to post at least four to five photos and videos a day on Instagram and Snapchat.
Anxious Wait, Secret Phones
Prashanth, a science student from KLE PU College, exchanged his smartphone with his dad’s feature phone. “I gave my smartphone to my dad and I’m using his phone,” he says.
“This phone is just to make calls and send SMSes. Dad was very happy with this and he has promised to buy me an iPhone if I score well in the exams. I miss my phone and social media. But, it’s just a matter of few days and I can manage.”
Sathvik, a PU commerce student from a renowned PU college in the city, says his parents took away his phone and has asked him to use the landline phone to communicate with his friends. “I was very angry for two days and could not concentrate on studies.
But later they told me that it’s for my own good,” he says. “However, I borrowed a spare phone from my friend and I’m using it now. My parent’s don’t know about it. I can’t live without mobile phone.”