Social Media Use and Study Habits of Undergraduate Students at the University of Calabar

This study examines the relationship between social media use and study habits among undergraduate students at the University of Calabar, Cross River State, South South Nigeria. The rapid adoption of platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram among Nigerian undergraduates has prompted growing concern about the displacement of academic activities by social media engagement. The study adopts a descriptive survey design, involving 350 undergraduates drawn from five academic faculties through proportionate stratified sampling. The Social Media Use Integration Scale and the Study Habits Inventory were adapted and validated for the university context. Data were analysed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression. Results indicate a significant negative relationship between excessive social media use and effective study habits, including scheduled revision, concentration during study sessions, and note-taking consistency. Students who used social media for academic collaboration and information retrieval, however, showed more positive study habit profiles. Compulsive social media checking was the dimension most strongly associated with poor study discipline. These findings highlight the need to distinguish between academic and recreational social media use in educational interventions. The University of Calabar's Student Affairs Division is encouraged to develop digital literacy workshops that help students cultivate intentional and academically productive online habits. Lecturers should incorporate digital study skills into course orientations to guide students in managing technology use during the academic year. Keywords: social media, study habits, undergraduate students, University of Calabar, digital literacy.