Chloe Cabatuan | Writer
March 6, 2026
When you look back at the late 1990s and early 2000s movies, most are based around having a party that’s unforgettable. However, only the movies still reflect a time where going out and having fun was the standard, instead of staying at home and doomscrolling. Movies like 10 Things I Hate About You and White Chicks both have many iconic moments that are surrounded by a party scene. Nowadays, it’s common to open TikTok or Instagram and begin to scroll, while some do it more for a laugh, other times it can feel like a site to manifest the fear of missing out. Other people are out on hikes, at the beach, eating delicious food, wearing cooler clothes, and then, all of a sudden, it becomes a comparison between what you have and what you want.
People yearn for a connection that they believe can be found through social media but it lacks the authenticity that spending time with a person offers. Social media acts as a highlight reel of the best moments of people’s lives, not the truth. These misconceptions created through social media make it harder to make friends when your surroundings make flaws and imperfections seem horrible to have, despite everyone having them but being too afraid to showcase them.
While doomscrolling provides the dopamine you get from doing things you like, specifically from the quick form engagement that scrolling offers, it makes the real, slower world harder to focus on, leading to wasted time and lower work engagement. Often increasing anxiety, fear, disappointment, sadness, among so many other things. Most recognize the downsides to AI; it’s a tool used to quickly and easily get assignments done for school, validating the desire to scroll when there is no pressure to do authentic work.
However, this isn’t an article to shame people for using social media; it should serve as a reminder to use your time responsibly because life is truly all about balance. Sofia Olocco, a junior at San Clemente High School, has been able to find that balance, she explained that she tries “to spend the least amount of [her] time on Instagram or TikTok because they take up so much time. But [she doesn’t] have self control if they are on [her] phone so [she uninstalls] them every Sunday night and reinstall them during weekends.” In place of social media, Olocco spends “her free time going to the gym, practicing martial arts, and hanging out with [her] friends,” she demonstrates the balance between an online presence and real life.
Many people have been able to find comfort in music, in fact 93% of the U.S. The population listens to music according to nielsen.com, with 75.6 million people around the world making music. Mason Steinorth, a senior at SCHS and member of Backyard Campers band, is one of them. Steinorth explained that he has “always felt a deep connection with music, whether that be listening to it, playing it, or making it. So to [him], [he’d] prefer playing the guitar over scrolling on reels any day. And more than a connection, [he feels] productive when [he’s] making music because [he’s] putting in the time to become a better musician, instead of mindlessly losing it to [his] phone.” Making music boosts dopamine levels, and it’s an excellent substitute for scrolling through social media. Steinorth continued to add that he also does it “for the people,” which provides the connection that everyone needs.
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