There has been multiple switches this year with FLEX and separate grade lunch periods, but the hardest one to adapt to is the excessive amount of screen time for those who favor pencils.

According to MedlinePlus, a website supported by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the average 12 year old is recommended to have a maximum of two hours of screen time each day. The average day at MMS means Chromebook use in almost every period, meaning nearly six hours of potential screen time in school alone. If you add the amount of time it takes for an individual to do homework outside of school, you end up with total of nearly hours depending on the efficiency of the student. That means staring at a screen for nearly four times the recommended daily allowance.

Many students at MMS finish their homework before they go to bed, but according to MedlinePlus, screen time makes it harder to sleep at night. This may cause tired, unproductive kids in school the next day. Too much screen time also may increase the risk of obesity, anxiety, attention problems, and ads may encourage unhealthy choices.

However, not all outcomes of the new Chromebooks are negative. It is much easier to make up work when you are absent because almost all the information from class is on Google Classroom or on your teacher’s website. It also allows for more diverse research projects because you have access to many sources of information from your Chromebook that there might not be books on in the library.

Another major positive result of the technology is the smaller loads students have to carry around. Before, we had to carry around multiple binders and tons of paper where now all we need is our Chromebook and a couple notebooks and folders (Necessities may differ on the student). To assist make this even easier, students were provided with a draw string bag at the start of the year to assist in carrying around materials.

No matter the benefits, students seem to see both sides of this issue evenly.

Sarah J., a seventh grader on the Gold Team says, “I mean it is useful yet we complain all the time about children on their screens too much and this is not helping.”

Sixth grader Declan B. seems to be on the same page, “It is useful if used properly, but it seems to also be a big distraction.”

Leilani G. on Gold Team has a slightly different take, “I like paper stuff but I also appreciate the positive sides of Chromebooks like Google Slides.”