For the last few years, whenever the final examinations approach in our school, we suddenly become anxious and uncertain about how we are going to pass the exam this year. This is not because we are weak or narrow-minded; rather, it is because we hardly remember what we listened to in classes. Even if you ask my friends about today’s lecture right after the class ends, most of them won’t even recall what was taught just an hour ago.

But even then, it would be wrong to say that students are not interested in their studies. In reality, they genuinely want to study and score well. The problem starts only when they finally sit down to study; they try their best to focus, but their mind slips away within minutes. And this is not only with my classmates, but this is happening with many students everywhere. Maybe you, too have felt this.

What Causes This Disruption in Active Listening?

What is the real reason behind this weakening of active listening? Some people say tension stops students from paying attention. Others say sleeping late reduces the mind’s capacity to focus. All of these reasons have truth.

But the real question is: Where do these problems begin? On one side, students who spend a lot of time on reels eventually lose their attention span. On the other side, those who avoid reels can sit with one thing for a longer time than those who do not. This raises an important question: Is social media shrinking our attention span? Or is there something deeper going on?

Let’s look at it more closely.

Lessons from the Past: A Time of Deep Attention

To understand our present, it helps to look at the past.

During school assemblies when we were young, we often heard stories about how aspiring learners in earlier times travelled across lands in search of knowledge. We heard about students who learnt directly under their teachers, like Plato under Socrates, and Aristotle under Plato.

What always stood out to me was how carefully students of that era listened. They had no printed books like we do today. Writing materials were limited. Whatever the teacher taught, they had to capture it with their ears and store it in their minds. That is why their attention was so deep and powerful.

Even in our own childhood, our Principal Sir used to remind us of this. He would say: “You are living in a golden age of education. Teachers come to your class one by one. You don’t have to travel or face the hardships students once faced. All you need is to turn your ears toward active listening.”

But what is happening today is exactly the opposite. Even when we sincerely try to focus on one subject, we get distracted in just a few minutes. Clearly, something major has changed.

Technology: A Blessing That Became a Distraction

With the arrival of technology, our learning journey changed completely.

The crisis of active listening grew rapidly when smartphones became common, especially after COVID-19. Students attended online classes, watched YouTube lectures, joined Telegram lessons, and many channels provided free education. Even families that were strict about phones had to buy them for their children.

Until this point, technology seemed like a blessing. Students could access high-quality education from home, choose teachers they understood best, and study with freedom.

But silently, another pattern began forming behind this convenience.

The Rise of Reels and the Collapse of Attention

Instead of using phones only for study, many students slowly drifted toward short videos. Reels became a daily habit. Hours were spent scrolling, often without realising it.

Studies show that a huge percentage of students spend several hours scrolling short videos every day. The Times of India mentions that platforms purposely use fast pacing, ‘catchy audio, and unpredictable content to keep users hooked.’ It creates a cycle where your brain keeps waiting for the next hit.

Researchers like Professor Qiang Wang have found that watching too many short videos affects the brain areas responsible for focus, decision-making, and emotional balance. The brain becomes used to constant stimulation.
And when this becomes normal, it directly affects the classroom.

The Classroom Effect: Minds That Wander Quickly

This effect is visible the moment a lecture begins. In the first few minutes, students listen. But very soon, the mind drifts away. They either start imagining something, or simply lose interest, or feel sleepy. This is not because the subject is boring; it is because the brain has become used to fast, colourful, constantly changing content. A teacher’s normal pace feels too slow for a mind trained by reels.
This problem becomes even more visible during revision.

The condition has drifted so badly that when teachers enter the class and ask which chapter they had completed last time, students silently look at each other. Nobody remembers. Not because they are weak, but because they never actively listened in the first place.

Modern Comfort vs. Lost Attention

When we compare our education with that of the past, one thing becomes very clear: today’s students have far more comfort, but far less attention.

Modern education offers everything: comfortable classrooms, better teachers, multiple resources, and technology. But because everything is available so easily, students assume they can “always check it later.” Slowly, this weakens the habit of listening carefully.

And when reels are watched daily, the brain becomes trained to focus only in short bursts of 20–30 seconds. This becomes a silent filter through which all learning passes. Even if a student wants to concentrate, the mind keeps slipping away.
This is the core problem.

Reclaiming the Lost Art of Listening

Active listening is not just a classroom skill, it is the root of learning, discipline, curiosity, and personal growth. We are living in an age where technology gives us every advantage, yet at the same time steals our ability to listen.

The same device that brings knowledge to our hands also takes away the focus needed to absorb it.
Now we stand at a point where we must decide: Will we allow short-video culture to keep shrinking our attention span? Or will we take control and rebuild the focus that learners of the past mastered with patience?

Active listening may be rare today, but it is definitely not impossible. By reducing unnecessary scrolling, training our mind to stay present, and valuing deep learning over momentary entertainment, we can strengthen our attention once again.

So the question is no longer, “Why are we losing focus?”

The real question is: “Are we ready to rebuild it?”

Because in the end, the greatest gift we can give ourselves is not more information, but the ability to truly listen.

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