Essays

Did you know that 62.7% of students play video games for more than 30 hours every week? That’s a lot of time, right? It’s shocking to see how popular online games are among teens. It has been long suggested that video games are bad for kids. Although there might be  some good aspects of it, there are more cons, especially with how often kids play video games. The first video game was created in 1958, and since then, games have become a harmful distraction. Today, there are over 5 million games in existence, and 45.7 million children in the US play these online games. Some people argue that video games might improve children’s cognitive skills. And while that might be true, video games are not a great way for kids to learn these skills. Video games are still harmful, no matter what they teach. Instead of video games, parents can offer a variety of toys, games, and fun educational activities to improve their kids’ cognitive skills. While it is true that video games are fun, they can cause addiction. Up to 4% of gamers become pathologically addicted to video games. They can also cause kids to be more violent, and can cause kids to study less, bringing their grades down. The fact is, video games are not beneficial to kids because they are addictive, make kids more violent, and bring their grades down.

Video games are not beneficial to kids because they are very addictive. Video games are designed to make you want to play more, and since teens are more likely to fall for this trick games developers use, they will play more and more, eventually getting addicted. According to familyaddictionspeacialist.com, “Up to 4% of gamers become pathologically addicted to playing video games. The issue has become so persuasive that in 2018 the World Health Organization officially recognized Gaming Disorder as a mental health issue” (Sternlicht). This quote is significant to the understanding of video game addiction because it shows how serious this topic is. In fact, it’s so major that the World Health Organization actually acknowledged it as a mental health issue. Another quote that talks about this issue is: “Video game addiction (internet gaming disorder) is characterized by severely reduced control over gaming habits, resulting in negative impacts on daily functioning, including personal, social, educational and occupational responsibilities” (Cleveland Clinic). This demonstrates how video game addiction affects people’s social lives and education. This is especially dangerous for kids because they are in their childhood years where they should be learning how to be social, making friends, and focusing on school. But if they start playing video games for a long time, they will most likely end up becoming introverted and get bad grades, which will affect them a lot when they are adults.

Video games make kids violent. Lots of video games have violence, even though it might not always be clear. For example, in some games, there’s actually a lot of violent graphics, but since it doesn’t look that realistic, people tend to think that it will not affect their children. But in reality, that’s not true at all. Since kids adapt to the things they see in video games, it is not a good idea to let your children play these types of games. Like I suggested, the violent themes and graphics in a game may be hard to recognize, but it’s important that kids do not see things that could possibly encourage them to harm themselves and the people around them. According to One World Education, “Multiple studies have shown that games rated M (mature) have been the blame for school shootings, an increase in bullying, and violence toward women” (Garland). Therefore, playing violent games will make kids think that violence is okay and not a bad thing. This can cause them to harm people. Like the quote suggests, when kids are exposed to violence in games it can result in school shootings and bullying. Another research states: “One new international study suggests that yes, violent video games may affect some children's behavior over time” (Children’s Health). This quote illustrates that the violence a kid sees will stick with them and influence their life even when they grow up. That’s why we shouldn’t bring kids into contact with brutal games in the first place. In conclusion, one of the most important reasons why videogames are not good for kids is because they include a lot of brutality, even though it may seem like an innocent kids’ game.

Video games are not beneficial to kids because they bring students’ grades down. When kids spend too much time playing video games, they have less time to focus on homework, studying, and other school responsibilities. Many students stay up late playing games, which can lead to lack of sleep and difficulty concentrating in class. According to a study from the National Library of Medicine, “62.7% of students play online games over 30 h every week. (...) The findings show that a lower cumulative grade point average (CGPA), less physical activity, and less study time are associated with playing online games for at least 30 h per week. Moreover, the study found that playing online games, playing for a long time, and skipping class can all have an adverse effect on a student's academic performance” (NLM). This proves that too much gaming can lead to lower grades and less time for important activities like studying and exercising. Another source states, “There are studies that show that the more time children spend playing video games, the lower their performance is in school.  A study found that video game addicts have lower grades and have more destructive behaviors such as arguing and fighting with parents and teachers. Some students admit that their video game habits affect their school performance” (IEA). This shows that playing too many video games can make it harder for students to keep up with their schoolwork. If kids focus too much on gaming, they might start skipping homework and doing poorly in class. It might also affect their relationships with their parents and teachers. In the end, video games can distract students from learning and cause their grades to go down.

Opposing views claim that video games can be beneficial for children, and help them develop important cognitive skills, like problem-solving and hand-eye coordination. However, we cannot ignore the harmful effects of excessive gaming. As studies show, "If kids play video games for hours and don’t engage in any normal social interactions with their peers this can negatively impact their social development and ability to manage real relationships. (...) Studies show playing video games can contribute to poor sleep and impact attention, academic performance, mood, and wellbeing" (Johnson). This shows that the time spent on video games can make it harder for kids to build social skills and can affect their grades or focus in school. In conclusion, while some people think video games have benefits, they have more cons than pros. Too much gaming is more harmful than helpful to helping develop kids’ cognitive skills.

It is clear that videogames are not of benefit to kids. They are addictive, encourage violence, and bring down students’ grades. If children play video games for too long, they might become less social, less smart and it might also affect their physical health, which is especially dangerous since they are still growing. To conclude, video games are a huge distraction and affect children in a negative way. Video games are very addictive, since they are designed to distract you and make you want to play more. Also, most video games have violent graphics which will influence kids to become aggressive. Furthermore, video games are proven to bring student’s grades down, since they distract them away from doing schoolwork and making it more difficult to focus on school. Parents should talk to their kids about the negative effects of video games, and should discuss a way to ensure the kids are not playing for too long. Instead of video games, kids should focus on their friends, family, and school, and engage in fun activities in real life rather than online.

Picture this: after a long day of school and homework, you want to take a break. You boot up your Xbox and play a bit of Minecraft. At once, you feel calmer and soon you’re able to go back to your homework, refreshed. All over the world, people play video games, whether it be for recreation or even for their careers!  Many parents prevent their children from playing video games because they believe they spend too much time on the couch in front of a screen. They prefer their children to play outside or read a book. The fact is, however, video games are beneficial to children because they promote reading skills and calm kids down..

Video games help children improve their hand-eye coordination which can lead to an increase in reading skills. According to an article entitled Six Surprising Benefits of Video Games for Kids on Understood.org, “Studies show that kids who play video games may get a small boost to their reading skills. This is true even for kids who struggle with reading, and even when playing action games” (Belsky). Since video games stimulate and engage the players, kids often do not realize that they are expanding their vocabulary and learning storytelling techniques through the context of many games, even those that are more action-driven. 

Video games are not only stimulating, they can be calming as well. Children have many sources of stress and playing video games can often help alleviate some of the stress. Video games can be a way for kids to escape, to get out their frustrations, and work through problems. The editors of WebMD wrote in their article Are There Mental Health benefits of Video Games? that, “Video games can act as distractions from pain and psychological trauma. Video games can also help people who are dealing with mental disorders like anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)” Even if playing video games only slightly alleviates the stress, it is worth it for both parents and children.

Some argue that video games have negative effects on the human body. People have been known to develop aches and pains in their hands, arms, and shoulders due to over playing video games.  “Repetitive stress injuries, or overuse injuries, are injuries that come from activities that involve repeated use of muscles and tendons, to the point that pain and inflammation develop.” (Grinspoon). Aside from physical injuries, some say that there are negative psychological side effects to overplaying video games. People can become addicted to the sensations that video games provide. However, it is always recommended to do things in moderation, so if parents monitor their kids’ playing, kids could learn self-control and find ways to make playing video games a reward for doing other things. There is more research promoting playing video games that proves the benefits outweigh the negatives. The website wellpower.org  states, “Like social media, there can be benefits to video games, when they’re used appropriately and in moderation. Some of these benefits include: improved focus, multitasking, and working memory; opportunities to build community and connect with other people; sharpen critical thinking and problem solving; stronger spatial awareness” (WellPower). Playing video games in moderation has lasting effects to benefit both the human mind and body. 

In conclusion, video games played in moderation have many health and educational benefits for children. Video games allow children to foster their creativity and grow their intelligence. All in all, video games aren’t as bad as they seem, and just like a book, maybe a video game should not be judged by its cover. 

Imagine a world without social media, no quick entertainment, no talking with friends whenever you want, just a world without social media. The first social media platform was created in the year 1997, and no one thought that it would grow so large that over 5.07 billion people would use it every day. Today social media is used in many ways, from talking with friends to watching your favorite shows. Some argue that social media helps teens feel more connected to others and is a creative outlet for them, but the cons list is a lot larger than the pros list. Social media affects teens more than it helps them since it makes them feel bad about themselves, social media affects the way they think and how they act, and lastly, teens come out and express the bad experiences they have had on social media.

Social media can cause teens to feel bad about themselves in many ways. In the article, “Pros and Cons of Social Media for Teens” published by Grand Canyon University, it explains the pros and cons of social media. It states, "When a teenager passively looks at these apparently perfect lives, it can inspire feelings of depression and heightened insecurities because their life seems less than perfect.” This quote explains a way social media can lead teens to feel bad about themselves. From seeing other people's “perfect” lives, it can cause teens to feel insecure and depressed about their lives. Social media raises teens' standards to the point where they see a normal life and think it isn't that normal. Social media makes teens believe living a bougie and perfect life is normal, making them insecure about their lives. In addition to this, social media not only makes them feel bad about what they have but also about what they are as a person. In the article, “How Social Media Affects Teens,” published by Yes, it talks about different ways social media affects teens. This article states,” “85% reported negative effects on self-esteem.” This quote shows another way teens can lead to feeling bad about themselves. This quote shows that 85 percent of teens reported that social media affected their self-esteem for the worse. Not only does social media make teens feel bad about their lives and the things they have, but it also makes them feel bad about the person they are.

Social media affects the way teens think and act. For example, the article “How Social Media Affects Your Teen’s Mental Health” by Kathy Katella explains different ways social media affects teens mental health. The article states, “Those who used social media over three hours each day faced twice the risk of having negative mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety symptoms.” This quote explains to us what social media can do to teens' mental health. When teens spend more time on their cell phones, they face the outcome of having twice the risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health systems. Similar to this is the way social media affects the brain. For example,”“the brain is going through a highly sensitive period between the ages of 10 and 19, when identities and feelings of self-worth are forming. According to the report, "frequent social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing brain," potentially affecting such functions as emotional learning and behavior, impulse control, and emotional regulation.” This quote not only shows what happens when social media affects teens, but it also shows why this happens. It tells us that teens have a sensitive brain, which leads teens to change because of it. Because social media changes teens' brains, it can cause a difference in behavior, impulse control, and emotional regulation. Social media affects teens for the worse in many ways, and one important way would be that social media affects their way of thinking and acting. 

Social media can blind teens into thinking it's good for them, but few teens know and report the truth. In the article” Teens and Social Media” by Emily A. Vogels and Risa Gelles-Watnick, the authors talk about data and inform parents about social media. A quote from the article: Some 32% say social media has had a mostly negative effect on people their age.” This quote shows that the few teens that stand up for the truth know what the effects of social media are. There are so many ways that social media can affect teens for the worse, but so many teens are blinded by what they see instead of the truth. In addition to this, the article How Social Media Affects Teens,” published by Yes, talks about different ways social media can affect teens. In addition to this, the article How Social Media Affects Teens,” published by Yes, talks about different ways social media can affect teens. In the article it says,83% reported an increase in anxiety.” This quote shows that not only do teens know the reality, but they also know how social media can affect them. This evidence helps people understand how teens know the reality, but most of the time they will hide it. Teens can hide the truth of social media, but some teens report the truth instead of hiding it.

Some say that social media allows teens to feel part of something larger and allows them to fit in, but it's important to know the downsides of this. In the article “Teens and Social Media,” it explains that,"social media lets teens create online identities, chat with others, and build social networks. These networks can provide teens with support from other people who have hobbies or experiences in common.” This certainly explains how social media can help teens with social problems and help them feel like they are part of something larger. However, social media can also create mental health problems and do the opposite of helping with social anxiety. The article “How Does Social Media Impact Social Skills?” states that the, "absence of non-verbal cues—such as a smile, a nod, or a frown—can make it difficult to fully understand the intent behind a message, leading to miscommunication and misunderstandings.” This explains the consequences social media can have on social skills. While there are some benefits to social media, what can happen instead of the benefits is important to keep in mind. To end, there are arguments that social media can help teens with social skills; it is important that we all know what can happen instead of these benefits. 

It is clear social media is a big part of teens' lives, from entertainment to chatting with friends, but social media does more bad than good. To conclude, social media has a large impact upon teens that can hurt them in many ways.  Social media can make teens feel bad. An example of this is when teens see the “perfect” lives of others; they think their life is normal, which makes them feel bad about their life and themselves. Social media can change the way teens act and think because the brain is being formed from the age of 10 to 19, so watching social media affects teens brains. Lastly, social media blinds teenagers to thinking that watching social media is good for them, which later on can affect their lives. Instead of taking social media out of a teen's life, it is important to watch social media moderately. In addition to this, it's important that teens know the negative effects that social media can have on them. Teens should read and investigate the negative effects of social media before it happens to them. 

We don’t really think about it much, but electricity is all around us and used in so many things we depend on every day. From our phones and computers to TVs, lights, and even things like batteries and lightning—it’s all powered by electricity. Electricity is super important in our daily lives, but not everyone knows how it actually works or how it’s created. That’s what the three sources I read and watched were all about. Each one talks about electricity and energy in different ways, but they all help you understand how energy is made, how it moves, and how it powers stuff.

The first source is an article called “Energy Story” by the California Energy Commission. This article focuses on explaining what energy is, where it comes from, and how it works. What’s cool about this article is that it uses charts and diagrams to make the information easier to understand. Right from the beginning, it catches your attention by asking questions like, “What is electricity? Where does it come from? How does it work?” (California Energy Commission 28). These questions are smart because it’s probably what a lot of readers are wondering when they start reading. The article then goes into explaining atoms and how their structure plays a big part in creating electricity. I liked how it said that if an atom has six protons, it should also have six electrons, and that’s what makes carbon. Then it explains where carbon is found, like in the sun, diamonds, and even the food we eat (California Energy Commission 29). It made me think about how science connects with stuff in the real world, which made the article more interesting. The way this source explains things is really helpful, especially if you’re still learning about energy and atoms in school.

The second source is another article called “Conducting Solutions” by Rodney Shreiner. This one talks about how some materials can carry electricity, and some can’t. The article explains what ions are, which are tiny particles that help electricity flow through a substance. One part that I thought was really helpful was when it said, “Not all substances are made up of ions. Some are made of uncharged particles called molecules. Sugar is such a substance...” (Rodney Shreiner 40). This helped me understand that not everything will conduct electricity, like sugar water. That made sense to me because I’ve never seen sugar water used to power anything. The article also talks about what happens when you mix ammonia and vinegar. It says that by mixing them, they react and form ions, which then allows electricity to flow a little better. I thought that was interesting because it shows how you can create a change in how a liquid conducts electricity just by mixing things. The author does a good job breaking things down and giving examples that make the information easier to understand. It’s the kind of article that makes you think about stuff you probably never even paid attention to before.

The third source is a video called “Hands-On Science with Squishy Circuits” by AnnMarie Thomas. This video was probably the most fun to watch because it’s more interactive. In the video, AnnMarie talks about how her young daughter liked doing science experiments but kept running into ones that didn’t really work or weren’t that fun. So, AnnMarie came up with the idea of using playdough to teach kids about electricity. She actually brings out the playdough she made at home and shows how it can conduct electricity. She sticks a little light bulb into the playdough and it lights up, which was super cool to see. It wasn’t just talking about science—it was showing it in action. She also explains how you can make the playdough yourself using stuff you probably already have in your kitchen. That made the whole thing seem easy and fun to try. She even talks about different recipes and how some work better than others. What I liked most about the video was how it made learning feel like playing. It wasn’t boring or hard to follow. It just made you want to try it yourself and learn more about how electricity works.

All three sources are about how electricity is made and how it works, but they each have their own way of teaching it. “Energy Story” is more of a science article that gives you definitions and uses charts to help explain things clearly. “Conducting Solutions” focuses more on the science behind what materials can carry electricity, using lots of examples and real-world stuff like sugar and vinegar to make it easier to understand. And the video, “Hands-On Science with Squishy Circuits,” is more fun and hands-on, showing you how to experiment with electricity using playdough at home.

Even though each source teaches about electricity in a different way, they all have the same goal—to help people understand how energy works and how electrical charges are formed and used. I think using different types of sources, like articles and videos, makes it easier for different people to learn. Some people like reading and seeing diagrams, others learn better by watching and doing. For me, seeing the playdough experiment really helped connect the dots. I understood better how electricity moves through materials and how you can use simple stuff to show it.

Overall, I think all three sources were helpful. They showed that electricity isn’t just something that comes out of the wall—it has a whole science behind it, and you can actually understand how it works if it’s explained in the right way.

Is individuality a result of separation? In the text “Two Worlds, One Childhood” by Marie Arana, the narrator describes her childhood with parents of different cultural backgrounds. The narrator’s parents, a North American woman and South American man, were once inseparable in an exultant marriage. When the narrator was born, a sense of connection between her parents began to decline. The narrator is faced with disconnection between her parents, puzzling over her parents’ identities and cultural backgrounds, and a loss of empathy during her childhood. The author uses symbolism in the story to convey her feelings of her childhood and parents’ marriage as seen through earthquakes, a bridge, and a childhood moment.

Primarily, the author uses symbolism in the story to convey her feelings of her childhood and parents’ marriage as seen from the example of earthquakes. When the narrator was born, her family had already experienced upheavals. The narrator considers her parents’ loss connection as severe earthquakes. The narrator realizes, “As I grew older and learned to register the ground beneath my feet, I saw that my parents’ marriage was shot through with fissures. Something like earthquakes would come … much” (Arana 2). The narrator’s parents’ disconnection was impactful, recognized as earthquakes, separating her family. With parents of different cultural backgrounds, one of North American and another of South America, her parents’ love became purposeless to them. The hazardousness of an earthquake feels as hurtful as her parents’ disconnection. As earthquakes symbolize the narrator’s perspective of how her parents have become disconnected, her feelings of her childhood and parents’ marriage is expressed.

Furthermore, the author uses symbolism in the story to convey her emotions of her childhood and parents’ marriage as seen through a bridge. Since the beginning of her life, the narrator always believed her parents built a bridge, where her North American mother was on one side as her South American father was on the other. However, from a division of her family, she finds herself staying by the center, never reaching one end. The text states, “I did not know that however resolutely they built their bridge, I would only wander its middle, never quite reaching either side. These were things I was slow to understand” (Arana 2). Attributable to her parents’ different identities, the narrator finds herself unable to comprehend neither parent. The distinguishable difference between her parents has made the narrator develop the thought that her parents were hoping against hope. The narrator’s feelings are conveyed as a bridge symbolizes disconnection between her parents because of their contrasting identities.

Ultimately, the author uses symbolism to convey her feelings of her childhood and parents’ marriage in the form of a childhood. The childhood moment follows a rain-forest woman, her husband, and their five-year-old daughter. In the memory, the rain-forest woman who is an Amazon nomad meets an anthropologist from Philadelphia, searching to study their language and lifestyle. When the couple moves to New Jersey, the narrator highlights their five-year-old daughter. The moment announces, “I suppose I could have thought of a million things at the sight of that girl, twisting about in her lime-green T-shirt, swiveling a pretty head from left to right. But what struck me was the look in her eyes” (Arana 3). The narrator could tell the daughter felt divided between her disconnected parents, stuck in between her parents’ bridge. In the memory, the southern woman represented the narrator’s father, the Philadelphian anthropologist represented the narrator’s mother, and the five-year-old daughter represented herself. The author’s feelings of her childhood and parents’ marriage are conveyed, as this childhood moment symbolizes the narrator’s lack of empathy in her childhood.

In conclusion, the author uses symbolism in the story to convey her feelings of her childhood and parents’ marriage as seen through earthquakes, a bridge, and a childhood moment. Earthquakes are symbolic of the narrator’s feeling of disconnection regarding her parents’ marriage. In addition, a bridge is symbolic of the narrator’s family’s division. The narrator finds herself wandering the center of the bridge never meeting one end, which are her parents and their identities. Lastly, the childhood moment is symbolic of the narrator’s lost sense of empathy during her childhood. Experiencing many tragedies at a young age, the narrator finds herself isolated. Are the lessons from childhood memories what an individual keeps with them throughout their life, learning to grow off these foundations?

Kylie Nelson and her son were at the beach in Florida when they spotted a bear swimming in the ocean. Nelson’s son took a video of the bear while Nelson called 911. The bear isn't the first to be spotted by residents in the Area, and a photographer said he has seen a mother bear and three cubs. I am glad that the bears did not attack Nelson and her son and that is all I have for today.

London's Bevers

For the first time in four hundred years, wild beavers returned to London’s arling district. Five Eurasian beavers were released into London on the 25th of October. The project hopes that the beavers can reduce the risk of flooding. The mayor said,"Bevers are nature's way of building dams. ”. His fund raised about £40,000 to fund project Earling beaver.

Sean McCormack said, “Paradise Fields is a little oasis of nature adjoining a big retail park and adjoining suburban Greenford. ''. He also said, “ Greenford is a high flood risk  zone, and that's only going to be exacerbated by climate change. The beavers should build a series of dams and create wetlands… this acts like a giant sponge.” Sean McCormack is the chair of the Earling Wildlife group. This is one of the many groups behind the beaver initiative.

Wild beavers were hunted into extinction in the United Kingdoms more than four hundred years ago. This was for their fur and meat. Not too many years ago, they were reintroduced into Devon, and have been defined as protected species. In March last year, they were released in Enfield, London. In September, a baby beaver was born. The future of England's wild beavers seems like