By: Lily Zhao <[email protected]>

Junior Danshi Su’s weekdays pretty much run the same course; he gets home, finishes his homework and then sits down with his obsession: his computer, which contains all of his precious video games. Not only is his computer his main life source, but it is also a tool that he uses daily to probe the online world of fads and trends in the 21st century.

“(My computer and games) are more important than food,” Su said. “I need them in order to breathe.”

According to Bonnie Grimble, the media department chairperson, the Internet and other sources of technology like it are embedded in our everyday lives, so students use the Internet as a tool because in terms of connectivity, it’s faster, quicker and easier. Furthermore, because of the increased time that teenagers like Su spend on the computer, Grimble said that they are more likely to set their sights on trends or fads in clothing, technology, online sites or games.

Not only does technology help facilitate many changing trends and fads, but it can make many students dependent on the Internet, which can affect them academically or personally.

Su’s counselor Kristina Hartman said that because most students are on their computer for a good amount of time everyday—be it looking up fads or just surfing the web—some students can create a false sense of reality.

“Now with the invention of cyber world websites, some people are creating the largest components of their lives online, and I think this is a false type of socialization and it is not reality,” Hartman said.

For Su, he said that he is hooked to these online crazes, but stays grounded reality-wise. While Hamsterdance and JibJab were popular Internet fads back in the ’90s, new online fads have surfaced, such as YouTube, Facebook and MySpace.

Su said that he spends about three hours each weekday online but can spend up to 14 to 18 hours during holiday breaks or school vacations.

Not only do Internet fads help influence students’ decisions, but they also have an influence on what a student wears, buy or eat. “I tried black chocolate once because there was a Facebook group about how healthy it was,” Su said. “It’s actually pretty good.”

Furthermore, Su—who said he is obsessed with the “World of Warcraft” game online—said that once he started going online he could not stop. This presents another issue for students. Since many students cannot get off the computer, these online fads deter some students away from their homework and sometimes even, the social aspects in their lives.

In regards to helping students stop their addictions to trends and fads, Grimble said that it is a self-discipline problem that should be addressed at home with parents. Hartman said that she would advise students with addictions to just seek the help of an adult, parent or counselor as well.

Furthermore, because these online fads can be so addictive, many students miss out on some social aspects. Hartman said that some students cope with this by creating their own virtual world. However, while not every student does it, she said that many students just try to create a world that is not real with the online fads.

“To deal with this the most important thing a parent can do is be aware of what their children are doing on the computer. It is also important to do things together as a family that do not involve the computer,” Hartman said. “Get out and be active.”

Su said that getting over his addiction to the many Internet fads will take some time but does not guarantee anything yet. Su said, “I can’t think of a world without the Internet or “World of Warcraft”. I can not comprehend the magnitude of that happening.”