I have been back in Wheaton for two full weeks. I don't have a cell phone and during this time I haven't even had use of the dorm phone to make off campus calls. It's broken. I can't make calls, and I can't receive calls, but the answering machine still works. This is odd, and it's particularly odd to be in the room and suddenly hear the voice of someone recording a message on the machine.
As best as I can recall, I borrowed a cell phone to make a few calls my first day here and to call my parents last Saturday. I borrowed Robin's phone to make one short call on another occasion and used the phone in the other dorm room to make two calls on campus one evening . That's all. I haven't felt unusually disadvantaged. In fact, I can only think of one instance when I really wished I had a cell phone.
But all day long I see students talking on the phone, texting, checking for messages. What do they have that I don't have? And how important is it, really?
(One practical answer is "someone to have dinner with." It's Friday night, and I ate alone. But, as I've said, I like to eat alone.)
I wonder what Wheaton would be like if everyone turned their phone off for a week.
2 comments:
You should probably talk to Read Schuchardt in the Comm department. He might have some interesting things to say.
Jeremy
oh carol i have so much to tell you. that's why you should have a cell phone. sooo much to tell.
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