Page 30 - Young Wise

Seda SÜMER

PHRASAL VERBS
THE DIGITAL BALANCE
THE DIGITAL BALANCE

Elara and her eighteen-year-old
lara and her eighteen-year-old
sister, Mira, were in the living
sister, Mira, were in the living
room, but they were not talking.
Eroom, but they were not talking.
Elara sat at her desk. There were
Elara sat at her desk. There were
glowing screens around her. She
glowing screens around her. She had
had only written two sentences for
written only two sentences for her
her university essay because social
university essay because social media
media notifications kept popping
notifications kept popping up. Mira
up. Mira sat on the sofa. She was
sat on the sofa. She was supposed
supposed to study for her final
to study for her final exams, but she
school exams, but she was busy
was busy watching videos instead.
watching videos instead. The digital
The digital noise made the room feel
noise made the room feel crowded,
crowded, and both sisters felt stressed
and both sisters felt stressed by the
by the endless flow of information.
endless flow of information.
1
Elara and her eighteen-year-old Later that afternoon, their cousin Leo
sister, Mira, were in the living came over to their apartment. He 1
Later that afternoon, their cousin
room, but they were not talking. looked very disappointed because
Leo come over to their apartment. He
Elara sat at her desk. There were looked very disappointed because
glowing screens around her. She their plans for a family weekend trip
their plans for a family weekend
had only written two sentences for had started to fall through. Elara had
trip had started to fall through.
Elara had promised to book the
her university essay because social promised to book the train tickets,
train tickets, and Mira was
media notifications kept popping and Mira was supposed to check the
supposed to check the weather, but
up. Mira sat on the sofa. She was weather, but they had both spent the
they had both spent the whole
supposed to study for her final whole evening scrolling through videos
evening scrolling through videos
school exams, but she was busy instead. “I am sorry, Leo,” Elara sighed.
instead. "I am sorry, Leo," Elara
watching videos instead. The digital “We just got distracted and completely
sighed. "We just got distracted and
noise made the room feel crowded, forgot to make the reservations before
completely forgot to make the
and both sisters felt stressed by the the prices went up.”
reservations before the prices went
endless flow of information. up." 2 That night, Elara and Mira stayed
1 up far too late, and they couldn't
That night, Elara and Mira stayed up far
stop looking at their phones. The
2
Later that afternoon, their cousin
bright blue light from the screens
too late, and they couldn’t stop looking
Leo come over to their apartment. He
started to wear them out, making
at their phones. The bright blue light
looked very disappointed because
their eyes sting and their heads
from the screens started to wear them
their plans for a family weekend
ache. Mira realised she had not
out, making their eyes sting and their
trip had started to fall through.
learnt anything for her exams,
heads ache. Mira realised she had not
Elara had promised to book the
and Elara felt more behind on her
train tickets, and Mira was
learnt anything for her exams, and Elara
essay than ever. They were using
supposed to check the weather, but
felt more behind on her essay than
their devices to escape the pressure
they had both spent the whole
ever. They were using their devices
of their work. On the other hand,
evening scrolling through videos
to escape the pressure of their work.
the continuous scrolling was
instead. "I am sorry, Leo," Elara
actually making them feel more
On the other hand, the continuous
sighed. "We just got distracted and
tired. There were lots of things they
scrolling was actually making them feel
completely forgot to make the
had to deal with.
more tired. There were lots of things
reservations before the prices went
up." they had to deal with.
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