Prompt: Studies suggest that many teenagers these days prefer socialising online to meeting one another in person. Why do you think this is the case? What measures could be taken to encourage teenagers to spend more time meeting one another in person? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Recent researches mentioned that people ageing 13 to 19 years old have opted to socialise through the internet rather than physically meeting other individuals. In my opinion, the issue happened because of the surge in the use of modern communication technologies and online telecommunication. This essay will not only explain the aforementioned underlying cause of the issue but also propose approaches to encourage more face-to-face interactions. Ċ To begin with, the popularity of modern technology such as mobile phones and laptops has grown significantly. Instead of being a luxury to have like in the 70s, people of various ages nowadays have handphones as a necessity. Furthermore, the advancements of telecommunication have made conversations over a distance easier. In addition, from my personal experience, making friends can be stressful during the teenage years. Hence, no wonder many youngsters are led to believe that using online social media is the best option to avoid embarrassing situations. For instance, teenagers who used to introduce themselves by exchanging handwritten biodata in the early 2000s now does a similar act by exchanging Instagram usernames instead. Ċ Nevertheless, I think interpersonal skills are not to be forgotten, as we still live within a society. Learning the right manners and body language when physically meeting with someone is crucial in the long run such as during a future job interview. Thus, efforts need to be made to ensure these skills are not lost due to the recent trend of online communication. As an illustration, one considerable effort that can be made in schools is requiring their pupils to be involved in group activities namely sports clubs or joining a student organisation. In fact, this measure has been implemented in most schools in Indonesia and have shown promising results in the last 5 years. Ċ In conclusion, it remains undeniable that socialising over the internet may surpass face-to-face relations in popularity, especially in youth. Although inevitable with the frequent use of modern innovations, I believe maintaining communications in physical social settings is highly recommended in order to develop interpersonal skills in the younger population.