Scrolling Between Success and Stress

By JUNE RITA

Second Year BA Journalism and Mass Communication Student,  Chuka University 

In lecture halls, hostels, buses, and even libraries, the familiar glow of smartphone screens has become a constant companion for many university students. A quick glance at a phone often turns into minutes or even hours of scrolling through social media feeds. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), and WhatsApp dominate the daily routines of young people who are navigating academic life, friendships, and the pressure to succeed. While these digital platforms offer opportunities for learning, networking, and creativity, they also bring a growing concern: the delicate balance between success and stress.

For many students, social media is more than entertainment it is a tool for opportunity. A student can learn new skills through online tutorials, promote small businesses, or build a personal brand from the comfort of their hostel room. Some students have managed to turn their creativity into income by becoming influencers, content creators, and digital marketers. Others use online platforms to share academic resources, join discussion groups, and collaborate with peers across universities.

Take the example of university entrepreneur groups on WhatsApp and Telegram where students share job opportunities, scholarship links, and internship openings. In such spaces, a simple scroll can lead to a life changing opportunity. Many students admit that they have discovered internships, competitions, and part-time jobs through social media that they would never have found.

Social media has also given students a voice. Issues affecting young people such as unemployment, mental health, and academic pressure are now widely discussed online. Through digital platforms, students can engage in debates, raise awareness, and advocate for change. In this sense, scrolling can empower students, helping them stay informed and connected to the world around them.

However, behind the benefits lies a quieter struggle that many students rarely talk about. The same platforms that inspire ambition can also create overwhelming pressure. A few minutes of scrolling can quickly expose students to endless images of success, perfect lifestyles, academic achievements, luxury vacations, and glamorous careers

For a student already dealing with exams, financial challenges, and uncertain career prospects, these images can create a silent comparison game. One begins to question: “Why am I not doing as well as them?” The result is often anxiety, self-doubt, and emotional exhaustion.

Psychologists warn that constant exposure to carefully curated online lives can distort reality. Most social media posts show the highlights of someone’s life, not the struggles behind the scenes. Yet for many young people, these posts become standards by which they measure their own lives.

Another growing concern is the impact of excessive scrolling on academic performance. Many students admit that they open their phones intending to check one message, only to realize an hour later that they have been trapped in an endless cycle of short videos and posts. This phenomenon, often referred to as “doomscrolling,” can quietly consume valuable study time.

Late night scrolling is particularly common among university students. Instead of resting, many stay awake watching videos or chatting online. Lack of sleep then leads to fatigue in class, reduced concentration, and poor academic performance. Over time, this cycle can affect both physical health and mental well-being.

Despite these challenges, the problem is not necessarily social media itself, but how it is used. Digital platforms can either be tools for growth or sources of stress depending on personal habits and self-discipline.

Some students are beginning to recognize this and are taking steps to create healthier relationships with their phones. Many now set time limits on certain apps, turn off notifications during study hours, or take short breaks from social media during exam periods. Others prefer using their phones for educational purposes such as watching academic lectures, listening to podcasts, or reading articles.

Universities and mental health experts are also encouraging digital awareness among students. Workshops and seminars are increasingly addressing topics such as digital addiction, online self-esteem, and time management. By understanding the psychological effects of social media, students can learn how to use technology without allowing it to control their lives.

Parents and educators also have an important role to play. Instead of simply warning students about the dangers of social media, they can guide them on how to use it productively. Encouraging balanced routines where study time, rest, social interaction, and digital engagement are carefully managed can help young people maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Ultimately, scrolling itself is not the enemy. Technology is a powerful tool that has opened doors to information, opportunity, and connection like never before. The challenge lies in learning how to navigate the digital world responsibly.

For today’s university student, success may lie not in abandoning social media but in mastering it. Knowing when to scroll, when to pause, and when to disconnect entirely can make the difference between a tool that empowers and one that overwhelms.

As smartphones continue to shape modern life, the question for students is no longer whether they will use social media but how. In the delicate space between ambition and anxiety, between connection and comparison, students must find their own balance. Because somewhere between success and stress, the endless scroll continues.