High School Seniors Go Viral for Staring at Their Phones on the Third Day of School—‘We Are Cooked’

A video reshared by @WallStreetApes is going viral on X after showing a class of high school seniors looking at their smartphones on the third day of school. Most of the students have their heads down, backs hunched over, staring at their screens, with no apparent interaction among the students during the portion shown.

The X user reacting to the original video pointed out that high school wasn't this boring a few decades ago. The post's discussion focused largely on students' use of smartphones during class. One commenter attributed the behavior to a decline in social interaction, and wrote "It's sad how people have lost the ability to actually socialize with each other. They'd rather have a phone glued to their face than have a real conversation. So sad!"

This video reveals a shocking reality about teens, smartphones, and social anxiety. As it is clearly visible in the recording, none of the students are interacting, laughing, or even looking at one another, yet everyone is looking down at a phone screen.

A study from PubMed Central revealed that in 2022, 95 percent of teenagers in the United States owned or had access to a smartphone. The report also found that, while smartphones serve as a tool for communication, entertainment, education, and online social interaction, excessive use of these devices has been linked to anxiety and depression.

Some X users questioned whether smartphone use could be affecting how teenagers interact with one another.

Another X user expressed concern about the next generation, "Friends that never meet. Boyfriends/girlfriends that never get to meet. The experiences in high school are never replicated again in life. They are missing out. Just to be on "social" media of all things. Oh the irony."

This individual gave a grim prediction, "Ridiculous, it’s sad actually, this next generation will be even worse than Z, we are cooked!!!"

Commenters Debate What Smartphone Use Means for Students' Futures

Some commenters questioned whether habits formed in high school could carry into the workplace. Many believe that if something isn't done now, it may be too late to correct the damage.

This X user wrote, "In Oklahoma our lawmakers passed legislation to ban cell phones in the classroom. Teachers and students love it."

Someone else added sarcastically, "The education system is doing what is intended: creating future docile cogs that can take orders and not think clearly."

Another X user focused on students' difficulty disconnecting from their phones, "They don’t know how to. Ever tried to get one of these teens to purposefully unplug? Tantrum for days and lots of “I’m bored”. Over stimulated children with no social skills — and then we wonder why they can’t cope with real life stuff."

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the circumstances surrounding the video, including when or where it was recorded. The article is based on the footage shared on X and comments posted in response.