As I walk around campus following the return of students, I am reminded of the reach of technology whenever I hear a cell phone go off. It is only a matter of time, I think to myself, that I shall have to deal with such an interruption in one of my classes.

I have one piece of advice to cell phone and Walkman users: Leave them at home. Instead, listen to the sounds of a campus in motion, to the conversations of others you pass, or talk with a friend or fellow student on the way to class.

Join your environment, the sights and sounds of this handsome campus, rather than shutting them out. Or if you feel more reflective, contemplate your good health and privilege as a college student. Review that last lecture you heard or that examination question you could have handled better, or remember that friend or family member you have been neglecting. Be grateful for all the people whose sacrifices made your college career possible and consider what you could do to make this world a better place.

Few phone calls, I would submit, are as important.

Jay R. Harman
geography professor