10
WWW.GUlLFORDlAN.COM
FORUM
Excessive texting can pose dangerous distractions
ByAlana Gbson
Staff Writer
Texting ferociously, I approached
the curb and noticed the feet of oth
ers begin to cross the street. Without
interrupting my activity I too bepn
to cross, and soon realized it was just
a woman and I stepping into traffic.
Startled, we leaped back in an at
tempt to dodge the SUV that had the
right of Way. Looking at eaich other
we silently agreed that our respective
text messages were no longer signifi
cant.
The convenience of text messaging
and other instant messaging devices
on phones is pretty evident. It's suc
cinct arid almost thoughtless. Daily
"wat-chu-up-to's" from friends can
make any work day , more bearable,
and costs less than a phone call.
Though simple, texting remains a
task, and for those multi-taskers who
text while driving, crossing a street,
or operating machinery, the danger
exceeds the convenience.
Nationwide Insurance recently
determined that nearly 40 percent of
survey resporidents between the ages
of 16 and 30 admit to text messag
ing while driving. This admission is
no surprise to emergency room doc
tors who have noticed an increase
in deaths and injuries involving tex-
ting.
The recent commuter-train colli
sion that resulted in the deaths of 25
people and injured more than 130 has
also been linked to text messaging af
ter the National Transportation Safe
ty Board's investigation learned that
the engineer had sent and received
texts before the train's collision with
a freight locomotive.
Some would venture to argue that
text messaging actually makes you
dumber.
"The act of texting automatically
removes 10 I.Q. points," said Paul
Saffo,. a technology trend forecaster
in Silicon Valley to The New York
Times. "The truth of the matter is
there are hobbies that are incompat
ible ... it is the same with texting and
other activities. We have all seen
people walk into parking meters or
walk into traffic and seem startled by
oncoming cars."
I would argue that text messag
ing has improved typing and reflex,
though I do not enjoy dodging cars.
I do not think that messaging
makes us dumber so much as it im
pairs our judgment.
I praise text messaging for its con
venience, but it poses a distraction
worse than talking on the phone. Un
like talking on the phone and driving
or crossing the street, for most of us
text messaging involves focusing on
the screen. Regardless of how much
attention is devoted to the screen,
we've become less aware of what's
going on around us.
■ Lawmakers and service providers
are beginning to implement policies
to limit distractions posed by text
messaging. In California lawmakers
are attempting to ban text-messaging
by drivers, and Verizon has already
developed usage controls in which
parents can determine the hours
when their children can send and re
ceive texts.
The discreet nature of text mes
sages has made conversing possible
even in places that aren't the most ap
propriate. Too many of us have stood
in line behind someone waiting for
them to address the cashier as they
remain engrossed in their private
conversation.
How about when that flashing light
or buzz gets the best of us in class?
We look up a few seconds later and
realize we're too far removed from
the lesson.
"It's annoying and distracting
listening to other students clicking
away at their phones in class," said
junior Darius Askew. "What's worse
is when you're trying to focus and
someone's phone keeps buzzing. It's
supposed to be discreet but it's not,
it's annoying."
As your fellow textually-active
schoolmate, I am not advising ab
staining from text messaging. How
ever, it seems that we could make a
concerted effort to detach ourselves
%
iMm
■
■
^ V
Ada Stephens/Guilfordian
vxiw.i .V, Sophomore MaiT' Simpson is much more interested in her
from our phones, temporarily. I m jYiessage than her nutrition. Recently, it was announced that a
sure our thumbs wouldn't mind the . •
rest.
person's IQ drops 10 points after excessive text messaging.
Today's Lesson: Take care of yourself (and ward off the plague)
It's creepy and it's gooky.
Mysterious and spooky.
It's altogether oo%....
What is it? Unfortunately, it's not a new
rendition of "The Addams Family" - but it
is what's coming out your nose and going
down your throat if you have the Guilford
Plague.
It seems that practically the whole cam
pus is sick. I'm sure you have heard the
coughs, the sneezes, the sniffles, and the
worst - the whole continuous nose blowing
throughout your entire class.
Last week one of my classes was inter
rupted about 20 times (well, maybe I'm ex
aggerating a little) in order to bless every
sneeze. I know the sneezes can't be helped,
but my suggestion for the future is just to
grant one blessing over the whole entire
room at the start of each class.
After all the nose-blowing and sneeze
blessing, I decided it was time to find out
what kind of funk has infiltrated our cam
pus.
The best place to find the answers is the
Student Health Center.
As I made my way down the steps into
the basement of Founders, I was a little bit
nervous.
Did I really want to go into a mass of
people being treated for the plague? I had
somehow managed to maintain my health
and didn't want to wade into an ocean of
germs.
But in the true spirit of investigative
journalism, I stepped into the health clinic
without regard to the dangers that I might
face.
One step, two steps, and on I went down
a deserted hallway. I was getting closer. My
heart rate increased.
I rounded the corner and to my surprise,
I stepped into a deserted health clinic.
What I found instead of a mass of germs
was a couple of clinic workers calmly filling
out paperwork and answering the phone.
Not one germ-infested student was to be
found.
I expressed my surprise at the empty
room and believe from the looks on their
faces, that for a moment the staff thought
I might need a psychiatric evaluation. Af
ter I explained my purpose, they seemed to
relax.
Helen Rice, director of student health,
was willing to take a few moments to help
answer some questions and even dispel
some myths.
I told Rice that I had heard a rumor that
the Health Clinic has given 300 strep tests.
Rice laughed and assured me that al
though there are probably 300 students who
Rice said that there is really no cause for alarm because the
high number of students with colds happens every year at
the beginning of fall term. She assured me that after fall
break things will settle down.
are sick, there has not been a strep scare.
The so-called Guilford Plague is really
- drum roll, please - just the common coW.
Rice said that there is really no cause for
alarm because the high number of students
with colds happens every year at the begin
ning of fall term. She assured me that after
fall break things will settle down.
Because students are coming from dif
ferent places and bringing different germs,
people get sick since they aren't immune to
those germs. Weather changes also contrib
ute to problems; as well as stress, lack of
exercise, and lack of adequate sleep.
Rice recommends taking pseudoephed-
rine and ibuprofen for cold symptoms.
Rice also offered some suggestions
on how to stay well (the parentheses are
mine):
K Bathe regularly (please!)
n Wash hands regularly (let's
not be gross)
u Clean door handle
H Clean cell phones
H Exercise
H Eat properly (a candy bar at
2:00 a.m. doesn't count)
H Don't put pens/pencils in
mouth (especially if you never
wash your hands)
H Wipe down computer
K Wipe desks / tables with
handi-wipe (cleaning seems
to be a constant)
j^fTake a^fhulti-vitamin
Rice also suggests getting a flu shot.
On Nov. 6 the Health Clinic will be
offering the shots for $27. Even though
clinic services aren't usually available to
CCE students, they will be able to receive
this shot. Appointments will be required,
but Rice stated that more details would
be available after fall break - so watch the
Buzz.
As I left the clinic, I breathed a sigh of
relief!
Guilford has not been infiltrated by a
plague, there isn't a strep epidemic, and
there definitely won't be a revival of "The
Addams Family."