The appearance of the Internet has changed people’s lives upside down. It has greatly influenced our way of life, technology, communication.

Students are the most vivid users of the Net and there are many scientific conclusions according to which the global web influences them more from the negative side than gives apparent benefits. Naturally, not a single student will agree with this point but there is a question: can even a smaller number of benefits be more important than a bigger list of not very significant disadvantages? In any case, both pros and cons are to be considered before making a final choice.

It is undoubtedly that the Internet has a negative influence on students and their way of life. Look through the possible drawbacks that can affect students.

1. Addiction to online games and social networks2006021561004_0

The Internet contains various information and not all of it is worth our attention. Apart from useful websites there is a diversity of casinos for gamblers as well as social networks to waste your valuable time and sometimes even money. Moreover, many of them are detrimental for our psychic and can result in a real psychological problem of addiction. Though it may greatly influence their feelings and the whole state of the organism as spending much time playing or surfing the profiles of others students get prone to fluctuations in mood and loss of self-control.  Many of them suffer from insomnia or exhaustion while the others may quit studying on this basis.

2. A diversity of websites with the negative example or promoting crimes

Not only games and social media websites can negatively affect young people. Some websites on the Web promote criminal behavior, commit cybercrimes or look for victims to be cyberbullied, numerous black websites with pornography, sexual exploitation or moral corruption etc. All of them can lead to mental problems as well as criminal behavior or even suicides, so it is better to refuse from regular visits to such sites.

3. Lack of face-to-face communication

Glued to the screen of a computer or tablet students forget about real life, a necessity to breathe fresh air or communicate with real people. They get estranged and non-social living in the virtual world. This results in difficulties to find common topics for discussion or inability to formulate a statement immediately. Virtual world replaces the real one and can also lead to challenges and troubles.

4. Abandonment of family

It happens that a person who is addicted to the internet loses a sense of reality and lives in his own world. That results in poor relations in the family and possible problems there. It is difficult for older people to realize how it is possible to spend so much time on the Web and the insensitivity of the addict disturbs them greatly.

5. Cheating and distraction

One of the most serious consequences of the constant use of the Internet by students is their possibility to start cheating at the lessons or exams. Nowadays educational establishments pay much attention to the uniqueness of the delivered papers as well as try to make everything possible that students could have fewer opportunities to cheat at the exams or tests. Unfortunately, the Internet offers an abundance of variants how to find the answers to the tests or crib and students make use of them.

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Another great negative of the Internet is its possibility to distract students from more important tasks. Usually, you are going only to look through a couple of web pages but soon realize that you have already spent several hours in front of the screen. Such non-productive division of time can be rather detrimental for studying and lead to poor results.

How can students benefit from using the Internet? Here are some most obvious and significant advantages:

1. There is a great possibility to earn while working from home

One of the main problems faced by modern students is a lack of money. They have to struggle against poverty and the Internet can do them a great favor. Nowadays it is one of the main sources that offers so many various jobs no matter what education and experience you have (14 Ways to Earn Money in University Without a Regular Job). There are enormous lists of the jobs that can be found on the Web: different freelance jobs, a variety of services to suggest, numerous part-time jobs and an abundance of one-time ones. One, who really wants to earn, can easily find something here to his taste, that is for sure!

2. The Internet is helpful in studying and communication with relatives

There is hardly any other bigger library than the Internet: it is much easier to find a relevant book for research online than organize a visit to the ordinary library. Online libraries are much more extensive and have a wider choice of books. Moreover, you can also look through a variety of sample materials and find additional information about academic assignments.

Another indispensable benefit provided by the Internet is a real-time communication. Though we got accustomed to using mobile phones, nothing can substitute the eye contact and a chance not only to hear a person but also see his face expression and emotions. It is especially important for parents, whose children study in different cities or countries and they can’t see them very often. Such a communication is the only way to ensure that everything is OK with them.

3. A possibility to save on purchases and business transactions

The Internet has obtained a variety of functions and now it is also a popular shopping area too. You shouldn’t browse hundreds of shops to find the most reasonable price for one or another bargain – everything has already been done for you. Moreover, you shouldn’t leave you home to receive the desired purchase as nowadays you can process the payment through online paying facilities and order shipping services. You can also process payments that used to require bank visits online too. That eases student’s life incredibly!

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It is impossible to say that the Internet affects students only in a positive or negative way. There are both sides of the medal. The degree of the Internet influence on each student is different and what is bad for one person can be profitable or entertaining for another one. It is natural that the Internet affects students but only to the extent this person allows it. But to choose the only right answer whether it is only positive or only negative influence is impossible.

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Does the Internet Negatively Affect Students?

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