The Impact of TV on Academic and Personal Growth

Recently, I've been using sitcoms to forget about my problems for at least a few hours or so, and it's affecting my grades, my social life, etc. How do I pick myself back up and improve again?

Every time we procrastinate something, such as our studies or work, and watch or play with something digital, be it a computer, phone, or sitcoms on TV, we receive a rush of dopamine. It feels so good and makes us happy. Maybe not downright giddy or enthralled, but calmer, relaxed, and free of pressure. It's a wonderful escape.

Do I think these activities are unhealthy? Not necessarily, for they do not harm anyone and bring enjoyment. However, if they interfere with our goals, it can be hard to break them down, as TV is way better than doing homework, aren't I right?

My Own Experience: A Journey from Brilliance to Reality

I have to tell you that I am extremely impressed by your question. Most younger people would not put so much genuine effort into self-improvement in this area. I would like to share my own experience.

When I was in school, I was bright, friendly, and did very well. However, in middle school and high school, I had a lot of personal issues. I felt isolated from everybody else for reasons I won't go into. I was SO SMART, so good with math...but I slipped into my TV addiction!

All my grades plummeted. My family didn't think I had any problems, and I just assumed that I had no one to talk to. I dropped out of high school because of my stupid science grade! Looking back, doing that was really dumb. I never went back, and my dad kicked me out at 17, because instead of talking to me and helping me figure things out, he judged me. I suffered for so many years because of that, having to go from being a little rich girl to being an unskilled laborer in the world at 17. AND find my own place to live.

I eventually recovered after years of learning important life lessons. I graduated from college with two degrees. I was a lot older by 20s. I had difficulty finding work because I hadn't really applied myself to anything specific. But because of my indomitable spirit, when I married, I knew how to organize a high technology start-up company. One of my degrees is in Organizational Communication and Development. We became successful, but surrounded by men, with no prior experience, and with just my two degrees, neither of which are in engineering, my fellow board members told me that I could sit on the Board of Directors but couldn't actually hold a job in my company.

Room for Improvement: Learning from Mistakes

So now, I am a housewife who finds ways to stay busy and be happy. I wrote a novel you can find on Amazon titled "Chewy Marmot" in my maiden name Spracher. Yes, I am a real person! My husband rakes in all this money and gets to work at a satisfying place. But I am not fulfilled. Money is really nice, but life can feel boring and sad if one feels ripped off from doing truly satisfying things, which includes being given responsibilities.

Long story, longer... no matter what ways I find to fill my time, it is not as satisfying as working and feeling challenged. Here's the story nugget: TO THIS VERY DAY, I feel that had I buckled down and stopped drugging myself during all those early years with TV sitcoms, I would have felt like I had actually LEARNED something, even if that learning was to only gain discipline. It would have led to me having a much better life plan and a more specific college journey. I would have felt more empowered. I would have been hire-able at an earlier age and taken more seriously by others instead of coasting along. YOU can decide what you want in life, but it starts early. IT STARTS NOW. Don't blow it!

A Long-term Perspective: Nurturing Future Success

Side note: I made sure my daughter didn't waste her intelligence. So I did the opposite of what my dad did to me...I stuck by her through everything, even when life got tough, and guided her to use her brain and away from things that weren't practical, as a tiger parent, I know... Today, she is 26 years old. She got a degree in geology and then a master's in GIS, has her drone pilot license, and loves her job, making a lot of money, and she thanks us for steering her. She can now create her own company if she wants, and no man can boot her out!