Impact of Social Media Utilization on University Student's Learning, Sleeping Habits, and Social Interactions: An Empirical Investigation

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Social media usage has grown prevalent across the world, affecting the lives of people of all ages including university students. People may now interact with others across the borders due to the increased acceptance of social media platforms. The current study attempted to investigate the consequences of social media usage on university students' learning, sleeping habits, and social interactions. A cross-sectional approach was employed to conduct the current study with a sample of 200 students selected from First Technical University in Ibadan, Nigeria. A questionnaire was utilized to collect the data. Additionally, statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-squared (Fisher's exact test) method. According to the data, 98% of the participants used social networking sites. Furthermore, 66% of students said that social media addiction had a detrimental influence on their academic performance since they were more drawn to social media engagement. Tiktok was the most widely used social media platform (41%), followed by Snapchat (24%), WhatsApp (19%), Instagram (10%), Telegram (2%), and Twitter (2%). Additionally, the survey examined students' sleeping patterns, with 50% reporting bedtime between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. and 44% sleeping between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. Notably, 71% of students blamed their later bedtime on their use of social media. Finally, half of the respondents admitted that social media impacted their social interactions considerably. In conclusion, the current study highlighted the extensive usage of social media among university students and its potential impact on various aspects of their lives. The findings highlighted the need for more study and interventions to address the addictive nature of social media, encourage good sleeping habits, and buffer any harmful effects on interactions among this demographic.