A distraction can be anything: a TV, a radio, a pet. The No. 1 most distracting thing by far is the Internet. Most people can’t go a day without it; they have it wherever they go.

Cell phones like the iPhone and Droid let you access the Internet even when you are camping miles away from the nearest house, coffee shop or computer.

The reason the Internet is so distracting is because it’s not just one thing; the Internet can be anything. It has something to offer everyone. There are social sites like Facebook and MySpace for those that cannot wait to let all of their friends know what they are doing, whenever they are doing it. There are sites like eBay and Craigslist for people who cannot stop shopping. And there are sites like YouTube, Hulu and Netflix that let TV addicts get their fix at anytime, even from their cell phone or popular game console.

This doesn’t seem like a problem at a glance; as a matter of fact, if you take it at face value it looks pretty nice being able to have access to whatever you want whenever you want. However, having this kind of freedom is causing major problems.

While at work and school, people are constantly checking Facebook. I am guilty of this myself.

The idea of being able to instantly access all of that information is really quite tempting. If you have something you need to do that isn’t all that fun, you feel the urge to take a little break and check out Facebook or look up something to get your dad for his birthday on eBay. Before you know it, that “little break” has turned into a 45-minute break and you are falling behind in class or work, which could result in a decline in grades or even loss of job.

In all fairness, the Internet can be a great tool. Let’s say you need to learn about how a motor works. If you type that into Google, you get 18,500,000 different pages that have all sorts of different information on how motors work. It only took a few seconds and suddenly you have access to more than 18 million different sources.

If used correctly, the Internet can be an asset, but if it’s abused as a toy it can have negative effects. It’s all in the responsibility of the user. You can choose to access the vast library of information and use it to benefit yourself in some way, or you can use distracting sites like Facebook. The key to getting the most out of the Internet is to use it in moderation. Where would the fun be if you only used it for work?

You have to make sure to stay focused and get things done when there is a deadline, but reward yourself when you finished with a movie or posting a status update.

— Kyler Lacey is a junior at Kingston High School participating in the Running Start program at Olympic College.