It is amazing to sit back and think about the various technological advancements that have occurred within the last twenty or so years.

Our lives have benefitted from these achievements in so many different ways.

Communicating with distant friends and family members is now instantly made possible by texting, FaceTime, and various social media outlets. The creation of the iPhone and other Apple products have changed the field of communication and the way in which people go about their day to day lives forever.

While significant achievements and new social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram have benefitted society and the way in which people communicate with one another in many ways, I think it is important to recognize the benefits of putting our iPhones and tablets down every once in a while.

It's incredible to observe the constant use of iPhones. Everyone is guilty of it, and it's not necessarily a bad thing. They are helpful in so many ways and are becoming more necessary in this day and age. We rely on our phones as cameras, for directions and music, and for staying connected to and with people that we care for. We are all instantly connected to everyone and everything the moment that Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat is opened.

Some view this as a positive while others see it as a negative. When you scroll through your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat feed, you are automatically immersed in what other people are doing and what their day to day life consists of. It's easy to get caught up in what is observed on social media, whether it be a Facebook post or a tweet.

In many ways, I think that there is an increasing trend in the amount of time that teens and young adults are spending scrolling through the virtually depicted lives of their friends and peers on social media as opposed to going out and living their own life to the fullest.

Like I said before, being exposed to your friends and families lives via social media is not a bad thing.

It's really important to stay connected with distant friends and family and to have the ability to check in on them from time to time. However, I think that there is a lack of balance between maintaining that connection via social media and enjoying the benefit of not being so instantly connected.

It seems that no matter where you go, teens and young adults are glued to their phones- whether it be at a party, the beach, a restaurant, a sporting event, or even in class. It's important to find a healthy balance between the time spent scrolling through posts and the time spent being truly present in the moment.

Again, technological developments have benefitted the lives of millions and millions of people around the world. Social media has increased connectivity and has helped to close the gap generated by long distance.

These are significant benefits and luxuries, but I believe it is extremely important to find a healthy balance in regard to how often our daily lives are spent scrolling through phones as opposed to looking up from their screens and immersing ourselves in our own daily lives.