The new academic year got off to a roaring start and once again I’m surrounded by people who flaunt their ability to multitask as if it’s a badge of honor. Students are the loudest at broadcasting the fact that in any particular moment they can be surfing the Web while taking notes and also engaged intelligently in the discussion we’ve having in the classroom. Right! They proudly proclaim the fact that they juggle three to four activities or tasks simultaneously as if that made them super intelligent. Actually it sadly signals that I’m surrounded by people who are on the path to becoming stupid.

As harsh as that sounds, the science backs me up. Scientists have learned that if you continually multitask, you actually rewire your brain so that it can only handle things that come to you in quick bursts. When you’re quickly switching back and forth among tasks, you may become really good at switching but you’re never actually focusing on anything, and eventually your brain just freezes.