As a brand new freshman, I was excited about becoming one of a specific crowd: the cell-phone-owning crowd. Cell phones are darn useful. You can use them to call someone if you’re in trouble, or to organize a get-together at the last minute. You can be contacted wherever and whenever, and only by people who know your number (no phone solicitors!) However, I have recently realized that cell phones are not everything; they have downsides and they are not necessary to the normal functioning of human beings.

In high school, I was The Unconnected One.ÿMy friends would all be calling each other up and checking out what each other was doing while they were doing something fun, whereas I had to sit at home, waiting for the only telephone I had to ring. My parents promised me a cell phone for my sixteenth birthday, in case of a car accident or other emergency, but they copped out on me. Eventually, my going off to college seemed to make them think that I actually did need a cell phone-go figure, I can’t even drive a car on campus. When my parents came up for orientation, my new cell phone and I were united.ÿI was so thrilled!ÿI started charging it that night and read through the manual.

Throughout the next week, my cell phone and I got to know each other very well.ÿI gave my new number to all of my new college buddies and I was always hearing that adorable ring coming from my backpack.ÿAlso, I could finally say, “Yeah, as of right now I’m walking toward you.ÿDo you see me?ÿWhere are you?ÿOh, I see you, by the tree!ÿ Yay! Bye!” and I would hang up just as I stopped short of colliding with my friend.

However, I’ve started to think that cell phones are a bit overrated. Sometimes, cell phones are used so often they become trivial. My earlier example is all too common among students: I called my friend when she was right in front of me. What was the point of that? Nothing really, it was a silly and ridiculous feeling that I had to know exactly where my friend was right then.

Cell phones are also extremely disruptive in class. Second case in point: sitting in Spanish class about a week and a half ago, as my teacher was lecturing us on direct and indirect objects, I heard a little, “Beep-uh-beep-beep.”ÿI looked around to see where the sound was coming from, and then I heard it again, from underneath my chair.ÿEveryone stared at my backpack.

“Beep-uh-beep-beep.”

“Lo siento, profesora,” I apologized as I tried to turn off my cell phonein the most unobvious way possible. Luckily, the teacher didn’t criticize me about it, and she just went on teaching.

Finally, cell phones can be a cause of rudeness. Third case in point:ÿas I was talking to a friend one night, walking around the South 40, he got a cell phone call from a friend from home, and proceeded to sit on the ground and talk to that friend for half an hour while I diddled around the patio.ÿ Sometimes being so connected electronically can disconnect you from those people right next to you. I think that it is always important to remember who you’re with at the moment, because while that old friend on the other end of the phone line may seem like he or she is right there with you, your high school buddy is still miles away (metaphorically and physically) from anyone surrounding you. New friends are just as important as the old.

Through my experiences, I’ve learned that a cell phone is a great tool, but it’s not my lifeline.ÿI can survive without it. I left it in my dorm room while I was at a Hillel retreat, and the weekend went unbelievably fine.ÿOther students should also be able to live long and prosper without constantly calling each other on their cell phones. All the recipe for responsible cell phone use requires is a little shake of planning, a dash of moderation, and a tablespoon of consideration for those around you.

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