College is a time when many students avail themselves of opportunities to engage in activities they might not normally participate in. It’s easy to take some of these activities too far, and become addicted. In many cases, addiction is a serious problem and needs to be addressed as such by those affected. This isn’t one of those cases. Names have been changed to protect the addicted.
Hello, my name is __________, and I’m addicted to fan fiction.
Fan fiction is a covert addiction. The majority of college students may not even know that it exists, let alone it’s addictive nature. Fan fiction, as Wikipedia broadly defines it, “is simply unauthorized written work based on a published one.” Typically, fan fiction is written about current or popular books, movies, TV shows, or even video games. Some writers stay very true to the “canon” of the original work, which entails looking more deeply into certain events or character’s views of them. On the other hand, some authors can diverge greatly from the original work, picking and choosing certain characters or places and inserting them into completely different situations.
As an example, the Harry Potter fandom is one of the most prolific and varied at the moment, given the series’ worldwide popularity. The fandom, that is, any fan fic or art for the Harry Potter books or movies, includes everything from relationships between existing characters to stories about newly created characters. By far the most popular genre of fiction is romance, but just about every imaginable angle is covered.
The readers of fic are almost as varied as the stories. Although women make up the majority of fan fiction readers, they range in age from just old enough to use the internet freely to grandmothers. SpicyK, a long-time fan fiction reader, describes the addicts at a recent fan fiction convention she attended, “ I was surprised by the ages of the attendees. I was the youngest person there! One woman, a university professor, was over 60!”
“It gets bad sometimes. I can’t count the number of times I’ve showed up late for class after I needed to finish just one more chapter!” SpicyK, a long-time fan fiction reader and sometimes writer confides. “Just like with an exciting novel or movie, a well-written fan fic will draw you into it.”
Swanson, a long-time reader of all things fan fiction, spends roughly two hours a day reading fan fiction. When asked whether she has time for anything else, she confides, “I’ve skipped class like once, though fan fiction was more of a deciding factor than the only reason. Um…I’ve delayed hanging out with real people to read it.”
However, a typical college student, Swanson was quick to point out that she’s not technically blowing off real people to indulge her habit, since she lives with her room mate, who is also reading fan fiction. Her roommate, Dry_TINI, spends, “more than twenty…maybe a lot more than twenty…” hours a week reading fan fiction.
Dry_TINI, however, hasn’t skipped class to read: “However, I have skipped class to sleep, and I maybe needed more sleep because I’ve spent all night reading fan fiction.”
Like most addicts, readers rationalize their obsessions. When asked to explain her love, Swanson said, “It kind of has all the nice romantic punch of a romance novel, with emotional trauma and all that, but it’s shorter, there’s more sex scenes, and it’s more interesting.”
“That it’s …It’s like all the fun parts of a relationship, but I don’t have to do anything. If it ends good, if it ends bad, it has nothing to do with me or interacting with human beings. It’s like a book but more compelling because you know a lot about the characters and can picture them.” Dry_TINI clearly is experiencing some of the anti-social effects of addiction.
And it’s not just reading that’s the problem, writing fanfiction can also be a problem. A common term amongst the afflicted, “plot bunnies” are ideas for stories that come randomly and stalk a writer until they put a pen to paper.
“Writing fan fiction is like trying to navigate a maze. You have to navigate around the accepted universe and the characterizations in place in the original story, and make these characters jump through hoops that they normally wouldn’t.” SpicyK’s knowledge in this case comes from experience-she’s written over a dozen short fan fictions.
When asked if she was addicted, Swanson first denied it. “No, in the sense that I’m trying to find something to replace it. But I really don’t want to.”
Like most college-aged fan fiction readers, Swanson is female, walks around with dark circles around her eyes, and is hopelessly addicted to her fandoms: the Sentinel, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Metal Gear Solid.
“It’s just too darn good, I just can’t quit. They’re just cute and fun. Sure, I guess I’m addicted. Why not?” Swanson finally decides.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
"Bone in zamboni!"
Melissa Lanouette
Blades of Glory review
“What have you got that they haven’t?”
“Matching sets of crotch luggage?”
After being expelled from men’s figure skating for fighting, Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy Macelroy (Heder) wind up (through a series of not entirely believable events) skating together in the pairs bracket as the first male/male figure skating team. Rife with the type of jokes one would expect from a movie about figure skating, ‘Blades of Glory’ remains relatively fresh, largely based on the comic chemistry between Ferrell and Heder.
Will Ferrell is basically synonymous with juvenile humor. ‘Talladega Nights’, ‘Bewitched’, and ‘Anchorman’ all displayed this side of his acting talent. ‘Blades of Glory’ is no different; however, don’t let the crotch jokes deter you. Ferrell movies have a tendency of just being Ferrell movies, lacking any real back-up characters. In this movie, a well-rounded cast takes the focus off Ferrell specifically and presents an all-around funnier movie.
Starring opposite Ferrell is Jon Heder, best known from ‘Napoleon Dynamite’, who, for the first time, takes a step away from the Napoleon character he’s been rehashing in his last few films. Amy Poehler, of SNL fame, and Will Arnett round out the cast as the brother/sister team rivals of the main pair. Despite an ending that feels like they just stopped trying, and its shameless use of gay jokes, this film was thoroughly enjoyable. After walking out of ‘Talladega Nights’ at the theater, I got several elbows in the ribs to stop my unquenchable giggles, particularly during the first couples routine, and I’m planning to see it again tomorrow.
Blades of Glory review
“What have you got that they haven’t?”
“Matching sets of crotch luggage?”
After being expelled from men’s figure skating for fighting, Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy Macelroy (Heder) wind up (through a series of not entirely believable events) skating together in the pairs bracket as the first male/male figure skating team. Rife with the type of jokes one would expect from a movie about figure skating, ‘Blades of Glory’ remains relatively fresh, largely based on the comic chemistry between Ferrell and Heder.
Will Ferrell is basically synonymous with juvenile humor. ‘Talladega Nights’, ‘Bewitched’, and ‘Anchorman’ all displayed this side of his acting talent. ‘Blades of Glory’ is no different; however, don’t let the crotch jokes deter you. Ferrell movies have a tendency of just being Ferrell movies, lacking any real back-up characters. In this movie, a well-rounded cast takes the focus off Ferrell specifically and presents an all-around funnier movie.
Starring opposite Ferrell is Jon Heder, best known from ‘Napoleon Dynamite’, who, for the first time, takes a step away from the Napoleon character he’s been rehashing in his last few films. Amy Poehler, of SNL fame, and Will Arnett round out the cast as the brother/sister team rivals of the main pair. Despite an ending that feels like they just stopped trying, and its shameless use of gay jokes, this film was thoroughly enjoyable. After walking out of ‘Talladega Nights’ at the theater, I got several elbows in the ribs to stop my unquenchable giggles, particularly during the first couples routine, and I’m planning to see it again tomorrow.
Monday, March 26, 2007
March Movie Preview
Spring Movie Preview
by: Melissa Lanouette
Curious about what to see in the upcoming month? Red Skies has looks at ten movies slated to come out in this blustery month. So grab your popcorn and head to the theater to catch these films (or don’t)!
March 2
Zodiac: A typical “Catch the Killer” movie, this film features Jake Gyllenhaal in is his movie release since 2005. Based on the real murders by the Zodiac killer in San Francisco, this movie follows a long line of bad horror or thriller movies based on these events. However, early reviews are hopeful, they like the blend of thriller, police procedure, and newsroom drama that the film portrays.
Melissa’s Prediction: Like many movies that blend standard conventions, this will draw fans, but no one will really know what to think of it, and it won’t be the box office success the studio hopes it will be.
Black Snake Moan: This unconventional, Southern movie features Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci. Jackson plays Lazarus, a god-fearing, middle-aged man who discovers Rae (Ricci) left for dead on the side of the road. While nursing her back to health, he learns she is the town tramp with a bevy of psychological problems. He decides to, “Cure her of her wickedness,” and plans to do it by chaining her to his radiator.
Melissa’s prediction: Though this movie will undoubtedly find fans, it’s too far from center to gain much commercial success.
March 9:
300: Based on Frank Miller’s (Sin City) graphic novel, the movie 300 chronicles the famous last stand of the Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta leads 1,000 men of Greece into a battle against 100,000 Persians. Gerard Butler (“Phantom of the Opera”) leads the Spartans, shown in the sepia-toned trailer as gloriously furious, in only a loincloth and a red velvet cape. Featuring gratuitous violence, nudity, and mythical creatures, this movie promises to be an high-velocity rush.
Melissa’s prediction: Although it does blend weird/arty filmmaking with super-violence like “Sin City”, 300 likely frightens away its audience with its R rating and faded color scheme. However, if it is good, it will be very good, and might be the surprise hit of this month.
Miss Potter: In the spirit of “Finding Neverland”, Miss Potter tells the story of the life of Beatrix Potter, the author of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”. Unlike “Finding Neverland”, Miss Potter completely glosses over any bad aspects of Beatrix Potter’s life, and leaves the reader with the sugary condensed version. Featuring Renée Zellweger in the titular role and Ewan Macgregor as her publisher and eventual husband, this film is well acted and adorable.
Melissa’s Prediction: Despite the talent and sweetness, this is a movie for neither children or adults, catering mainly to the type of people who would have a “Hang in there!” kitten poster, namely old women and preteen girls, neither of whom is likely to spend much money seeing it.
March 16th
I Think I Love My Wife: Writer/Director/Star Chris Rock really steps up to make this picture happen. Richard Cooper (Rock) is a married man with a beautiful wife and two kids. When he meets the ex-mistress of his friend (Kerry Washington), he finds his dedication tested, and begins to fantasy about what it would be like to be single. Gina Torres (“Serenity”) stars as his wife in touching comedy.
Melissa’s Prediction: With so few comedies out this month and Chris Rock’s name attached, I Think… is a surefire winner at the box office.
Dead Silence: From the writer/director of Saw, this movie plays up the creepiness inherent in ventriloquist dummies. After the death of his wife, Jamie Ashen returns to his hometown to try to unravel the mysteries surrounding her death. Dark, quick-cutting shots certainly lend themselves to a creepy atmosphere, and viewers will be reminded both of Saw and the popular Japanese remakes that abound now.
Melissa’s Prediction: Puppets and ghosts aren’t nearly as scary as being forced to chop off your own foot. With an R-rating barring younger viewers, I suspect that only hard-core horror fans will be in attendance.
March 23
The Hills Have Eyes 2: A rehashing of a rehashing, The Hills Have Eyes 2 tells the story of a group of young, hot teenage National Guardsmen who are finishing up desert training in some ill-fated mountains. Following a distress signal, they are led to a mountain range populated with the self-same mutants who killed the Carter Family in “The Hills Have Eyes”. It’s rumored to be twice as violent as the first, but it hasn’t received a rating yet, which either means the studio is trying to cut it back to an “R” rating, or cut it back to a “PG13” rating.
Melissa’s Prediction: The first one was popular. This one will be popular. Am I the only person who thinks Hollywood shouldn’t be enable the kind of people who get off on watching models getting violently tortured?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: With the renewed interest in both the Turtles and big-budget superhero movies, it was only a matter of time before everyone’s favorite amphibians (sorry, Geico Gecko) made their way to the big screen (all right, turtles are really reptiles). Reappearing in cartoonish CGI, the Turtles are faced with a problem: what to do now that they’ve defeated their arch-enemy, Shredder. Luckily for us, alien-monsters invade the hometown of the T.M.N.T.’s, and they get to save the earth, again. A stellar voice cast, including Patrick Stewart and Sarah Michelle Gellar, add life to the animated people and animals.
Melissa’s Prediction: A great family film, this will also probably draw the college crowd who first grew to love the turtles.
March 30
Blades of Glory: A vehicle for Will Ferrell, with a side of Napoleon Dynamite’s Jon Heder, is a comedy about two male figure skaters that are forced to skate as a pair because of a feud. Rampant with the adolescent comedy that Ferrell is known for, this movie covers both the main characters feud and their attempts to become the first male/male skating pair in Olympic history. Poses that seem natural for male/female couples become ridiculous and provocative between Ferrell and Heder.
Melissa’s Prediction: Figure skating is much funnier than NASCAR. I suspect this FerrellFilm won’t disappoint any of his fans.
Meet the Robinsons: Disney’s newest CGI creation (without the help of Pixar) tells the story of a boy genius, Lewis (Jimmy Neutron, anyone?). This genius is in a foster home, and desperately wants a family. He creates a machine to help him access his earliest memories, including those of his family, but the machine sets off a series of strange. Lewis is sucked into a wild and psychedelic future, where he meets the equally wild Robinson family. A showdown with a man who frequently steals his inventions leads him to discover things about himself and his family.
Melissa’s Prediction: Like most of the new Disney movies, this film will be entertaining and profitable, but won’t reach the ‘classic’ status that Disney has been missing so often lately.
by: Melissa Lanouette
Curious about what to see in the upcoming month? Red Skies has looks at ten movies slated to come out in this blustery month. So grab your popcorn and head to the theater to catch these films (or don’t)!
March 2
Zodiac: A typical “Catch the Killer” movie, this film features Jake Gyllenhaal in is his movie release since 2005. Based on the real murders by the Zodiac killer in San Francisco, this movie follows a long line of bad horror or thriller movies based on these events. However, early reviews are hopeful, they like the blend of thriller, police procedure, and newsroom drama that the film portrays.
Melissa’s Prediction: Like many movies that blend standard conventions, this will draw fans, but no one will really know what to think of it, and it won’t be the box office success the studio hopes it will be.
Black Snake Moan: This unconventional, Southern movie features Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci. Jackson plays Lazarus, a god-fearing, middle-aged man who discovers Rae (Ricci) left for dead on the side of the road. While nursing her back to health, he learns she is the town tramp with a bevy of psychological problems. He decides to, “Cure her of her wickedness,” and plans to do it by chaining her to his radiator.
Melissa’s prediction: Though this movie will undoubtedly find fans, it’s too far from center to gain much commercial success.
March 9:
300: Based on Frank Miller’s (Sin City) graphic novel, the movie 300 chronicles the famous last stand of the Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta leads 1,000 men of Greece into a battle against 100,000 Persians. Gerard Butler (“Phantom of the Opera”) leads the Spartans, shown in the sepia-toned trailer as gloriously furious, in only a loincloth and a red velvet cape. Featuring gratuitous violence, nudity, and mythical creatures, this movie promises to be an high-velocity rush.
Melissa’s prediction: Although it does blend weird/arty filmmaking with super-violence like “Sin City”, 300 likely frightens away its audience with its R rating and faded color scheme. However, if it is good, it will be very good, and might be the surprise hit of this month.
Miss Potter: In the spirit of “Finding Neverland”, Miss Potter tells the story of the life of Beatrix Potter, the author of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”. Unlike “Finding Neverland”, Miss Potter completely glosses over any bad aspects of Beatrix Potter’s life, and leaves the reader with the sugary condensed version. Featuring Renée Zellweger in the titular role and Ewan Macgregor as her publisher and eventual husband, this film is well acted and adorable.
Melissa’s Prediction: Despite the talent and sweetness, this is a movie for neither children or adults, catering mainly to the type of people who would have a “Hang in there!” kitten poster, namely old women and preteen girls, neither of whom is likely to spend much money seeing it.
March 16th
I Think I Love My Wife: Writer/Director/Star Chris Rock really steps up to make this picture happen. Richard Cooper (Rock) is a married man with a beautiful wife and two kids. When he meets the ex-mistress of his friend (Kerry Washington), he finds his dedication tested, and begins to fantasy about what it would be like to be single. Gina Torres (“Serenity”) stars as his wife in touching comedy.
Melissa’s Prediction: With so few comedies out this month and Chris Rock’s name attached, I Think… is a surefire winner at the box office.
Dead Silence: From the writer/director of Saw, this movie plays up the creepiness inherent in ventriloquist dummies. After the death of his wife, Jamie Ashen returns to his hometown to try to unravel the mysteries surrounding her death. Dark, quick-cutting shots certainly lend themselves to a creepy atmosphere, and viewers will be reminded both of Saw and the popular Japanese remakes that abound now.
Melissa’s Prediction: Puppets and ghosts aren’t nearly as scary as being forced to chop off your own foot. With an R-rating barring younger viewers, I suspect that only hard-core horror fans will be in attendance.
March 23
The Hills Have Eyes 2: A rehashing of a rehashing, The Hills Have Eyes 2 tells the story of a group of young, hot teenage National Guardsmen who are finishing up desert training in some ill-fated mountains. Following a distress signal, they are led to a mountain range populated with the self-same mutants who killed the Carter Family in “The Hills Have Eyes”. It’s rumored to be twice as violent as the first, but it hasn’t received a rating yet, which either means the studio is trying to cut it back to an “R” rating, or cut it back to a “PG13” rating.
Melissa’s Prediction: The first one was popular. This one will be popular. Am I the only person who thinks Hollywood shouldn’t be enable the kind of people who get off on watching models getting violently tortured?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: With the renewed interest in both the Turtles and big-budget superhero movies, it was only a matter of time before everyone’s favorite amphibians (sorry, Geico Gecko) made their way to the big screen (all right, turtles are really reptiles). Reappearing in cartoonish CGI, the Turtles are faced with a problem: what to do now that they’ve defeated their arch-enemy, Shredder. Luckily for us, alien-monsters invade the hometown of the T.M.N.T.’s, and they get to save the earth, again. A stellar voice cast, including Patrick Stewart and Sarah Michelle Gellar, add life to the animated people and animals.
Melissa’s Prediction: A great family film, this will also probably draw the college crowd who first grew to love the turtles.
March 30
Blades of Glory: A vehicle for Will Ferrell, with a side of Napoleon Dynamite’s Jon Heder, is a comedy about two male figure skaters that are forced to skate as a pair because of a feud. Rampant with the adolescent comedy that Ferrell is known for, this movie covers both the main characters feud and their attempts to become the first male/male skating pair in Olympic history. Poses that seem natural for male/female couples become ridiculous and provocative between Ferrell and Heder.
Melissa’s Prediction: Figure skating is much funnier than NASCAR. I suspect this FerrellFilm won’t disappoint any of his fans.
Meet the Robinsons: Disney’s newest CGI creation (without the help of Pixar) tells the story of a boy genius, Lewis (Jimmy Neutron, anyone?). This genius is in a foster home, and desperately wants a family. He creates a machine to help him access his earliest memories, including those of his family, but the machine sets off a series of strange. Lewis is sucked into a wild and psychedelic future, where he meets the equally wild Robinson family. A showdown with a man who frequently steals his inventions leads him to discover things about himself and his family.
Melissa’s Prediction: Like most of the new Disney movies, this film will be entertaining and profitable, but won’t reach the ‘classic’ status that Disney has been missing so often lately.
Movie Review: Pan's Labyrinth
Pan's Labyrinth: Dark Fantasy
by: Melissa Lanouette
The mistake many filmgoers made with “Pan’s Labyrinth” was going in thinking it was a fairy tale, in the modern sense of the word. Today’s fairy tales are sweet stories that urge children to pursue their dreams. The ancient fairy tales that “Pan’s Labyrinth” evokes are darker stories, stories where happily ever after isn’t a guarantee.
For the most part, “Pan’s Labyrinth” has nothing to do with the fantastical elements shown the advertisements. It is instead a bleak story about the Spanish Civil War, shown through the eyes of a little girl. Ofelia, played by 12-year-old Spanish Actress Ivana Baguero, is played as both innocent and mature, fully grasping the horrifying reality she lives in but choosing instead the dark fantasy of the Faun. Ofelia moves with her delicate, pregnant mother to an old mill where her new, cruel stepfather awaits them. Like any good fairy tale, her stepfather is evil, but in a real, human way that makes his character more understandable and intensely more frightening. Obsessed with rooting out resistance fighters in the hills, Ofelia’s stepfather commits acts of terror on screen that will make even the most steadfast viewer flinch away. When Ofelia leaves behind her grim reality to seek out the Faun, it is not only a relief to her psyche; it’s a relief to the viewers.
Guillermo Del Toro, recently returned from big Hollywood movies like “Blade 2” and “Hellboy” returns to his roots in this Spanish language fantasy. His former experience directing horror and superhero movies shows through in both the real and fantastic elements. The international cast is so superb that the film would be as easily understandable without subtitles. Apart from Ivana Baguero’s amazing Ofelia, Maribel Verdu turns in a striking performance as a sympathizer with both the rebels and the lonely main character.
Whether you go rent it to marvel at the amazing creatures, such as the suspicious Faun or the incredibly frightening Pale Man, or to watch a creative and unique film, definitely don’t miss “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Just don’t expect a happy ending for this fairy tale.
by: Melissa Lanouette
The mistake many filmgoers made with “Pan’s Labyrinth” was going in thinking it was a fairy tale, in the modern sense of the word. Today’s fairy tales are sweet stories that urge children to pursue their dreams. The ancient fairy tales that “Pan’s Labyrinth” evokes are darker stories, stories where happily ever after isn’t a guarantee.
For the most part, “Pan’s Labyrinth” has nothing to do with the fantastical elements shown the advertisements. It is instead a bleak story about the Spanish Civil War, shown through the eyes of a little girl. Ofelia, played by 12-year-old Spanish Actress Ivana Baguero, is played as both innocent and mature, fully grasping the horrifying reality she lives in but choosing instead the dark fantasy of the Faun. Ofelia moves with her delicate, pregnant mother to an old mill where her new, cruel stepfather awaits them. Like any good fairy tale, her stepfather is evil, but in a real, human way that makes his character more understandable and intensely more frightening. Obsessed with rooting out resistance fighters in the hills, Ofelia’s stepfather commits acts of terror on screen that will make even the most steadfast viewer flinch away. When Ofelia leaves behind her grim reality to seek out the Faun, it is not only a relief to her psyche; it’s a relief to the viewers.
Guillermo Del Toro, recently returned from big Hollywood movies like “Blade 2” and “Hellboy” returns to his roots in this Spanish language fantasy. His former experience directing horror and superhero movies shows through in both the real and fantastic elements. The international cast is so superb that the film would be as easily understandable without subtitles. Apart from Ivana Baguero’s amazing Ofelia, Maribel Verdu turns in a striking performance as a sympathizer with both the rebels and the lonely main character.
Whether you go rent it to marvel at the amazing creatures, such as the suspicious Faun or the incredibly frightening Pale Man, or to watch a creative and unique film, definitely don’t miss “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Just don’t expect a happy ending for this fairy tale.
No Cell Phones in Class!
No Phones in Class
Assigned topic
by: Melissa Lanouette
The harbingers of a new age, cell phones have wrought a multitude of changes on the world. News, good or bad, is sent instantaneously. Unless a conscious decision to “turn off” is made, people are never out of reach. Cell phones have developed their own place in our culture, bringing us new vocabulary and etiquette. And no one is immune. Even those who scorn the mechanical umbilical are subjected to its use by those around them.
College students, especially, have fully integrated these increasingly tiny devices into their lives. This current generation was the first to grow up with cell phones, since they were introduced affordably about the time a teenager would get their first taste of phone freedom. When the current students at Salem State got their first cells, the phones were bulky, typically grey or black, and only offering the amenities of chatting unmonitored with friends and playing snake (if one was lucky). Now, however, cell phones can be taught to do any number of things, from playing console video games to listening to MP3s to watching exclusive television programs.
Does the average student really need all this? The answer seems to be resoundingly yes. Many students sport popular new phones, with varying features. Some carry BlackBerries or CrackBerries if you will, so called for their addictive tendency. These phones feature extended keypads, perfect for text messaging, as well as a dizzying array of features such as GPS navigation, e-mailing, and instant messaging via an internet service. A cell-phone camera has become standard, and many contain video captures. PDA phones can synch up to schedule with your home PC and hold lots of information, while still offering similar services to a standard cell phone. Newer models such as the Helio gadgets (don’t call it a phone!) offer access to MySpace and other friend networking websites.
Since almost the entire campus has a cell phone now, the cell phone clause on the syllabus seems to be as important as the special provisions clause. Many self-proclaimed “cell-phone Nazis” fail to follow their own rules however. This semester, in Mr. Levine’s class (names changed to protect the hypocritical), after a long-winded dressing down of whoever had the gall to leave their cell phone on during the class meeting directly following our first cell-phone lecture, the professor was extremely embarrassed to discover that it was his cell phone that had been buzzing for the last 5 minutes. However, student cell phone use is rampant, and does interrupt classes. Despite warnings, many students find themselves unable to leave their cells at home, and many class periods now are punctuated by beeps, buzzes, and obnoxious ring tones.
That younger people aren’t renowned for their courtesy doesn’t help either. Many students may not have been taught that everyone has to finish getting off the bus before you board or that it’s polite to hold the door for anyone, not just cute girls. With cell phone etiquette newly developing, it is hardly surprising that many students seem wholly ignorant of how obnoxious they're being. Many students carry on loud private conversations on their cell phones in awkward places. If your boyfriend thinks you’re cheating on him, the best place to talk about it isn’t the library or cafeteria, where the whole world is privy to your indiscretions. Teachers who ban cell phones from class probably don’t appreciate students text messaging instead of paying attention.
Like many wonders of the electronic age, cell phones have their problems as well as their rewards. TV breeds obesity and the internet breeds stalkers. Cell phones over-connect us to our world, and make it easy to ignore that those people around us can hear us. With cell phones omni-present, roadside call boxes and pay phones are becoming obsolete. Even if you do not have one, you can count on finding someone who will let you borrow his or hers. One of Red Skies’ staff waiting outside Meier for the bus was happy to lend a fellow student his cell phone, suspecting an emergency. However, he fell prey to the dark side of cell phone usage when the girl used the cell phone to call her boyfriend inside, “Honey, I’m right outside where I said I was going to be. Love you, see you in two minutes.”
Assigned topic
by: Melissa Lanouette
The harbingers of a new age, cell phones have wrought a multitude of changes on the world. News, good or bad, is sent instantaneously. Unless a conscious decision to “turn off” is made, people are never out of reach. Cell phones have developed their own place in our culture, bringing us new vocabulary and etiquette. And no one is immune. Even those who scorn the mechanical umbilical are subjected to its use by those around them.
College students, especially, have fully integrated these increasingly tiny devices into their lives. This current generation was the first to grow up with cell phones, since they were introduced affordably about the time a teenager would get their first taste of phone freedom. When the current students at Salem State got their first cells, the phones were bulky, typically grey or black, and only offering the amenities of chatting unmonitored with friends and playing snake (if one was lucky). Now, however, cell phones can be taught to do any number of things, from playing console video games to listening to MP3s to watching exclusive television programs.
Does the average student really need all this? The answer seems to be resoundingly yes. Many students sport popular new phones, with varying features. Some carry BlackBerries or CrackBerries if you will, so called for their addictive tendency. These phones feature extended keypads, perfect for text messaging, as well as a dizzying array of features such as GPS navigation, e-mailing, and instant messaging via an internet service. A cell-phone camera has become standard, and many contain video captures. PDA phones can synch up to schedule with your home PC and hold lots of information, while still offering similar services to a standard cell phone. Newer models such as the Helio gadgets (don’t call it a phone!) offer access to MySpace and other friend networking websites.
Since almost the entire campus has a cell phone now, the cell phone clause on the syllabus seems to be as important as the special provisions clause. Many self-proclaimed “cell-phone Nazis” fail to follow their own rules however. This semester, in Mr. Levine’s class (names changed to protect the hypocritical), after a long-winded dressing down of whoever had the gall to leave their cell phone on during the class meeting directly following our first cell-phone lecture, the professor was extremely embarrassed to discover that it was his cell phone that had been buzzing for the last 5 minutes. However, student cell phone use is rampant, and does interrupt classes. Despite warnings, many students find themselves unable to leave their cells at home, and many class periods now are punctuated by beeps, buzzes, and obnoxious ring tones.
That younger people aren’t renowned for their courtesy doesn’t help either. Many students may not have been taught that everyone has to finish getting off the bus before you board or that it’s polite to hold the door for anyone, not just cute girls. With cell phone etiquette newly developing, it is hardly surprising that many students seem wholly ignorant of how obnoxious they're being. Many students carry on loud private conversations on their cell phones in awkward places. If your boyfriend thinks you’re cheating on him, the best place to talk about it isn’t the library or cafeteria, where the whole world is privy to your indiscretions. Teachers who ban cell phones from class probably don’t appreciate students text messaging instead of paying attention.
Like many wonders of the electronic age, cell phones have their problems as well as their rewards. TV breeds obesity and the internet breeds stalkers. Cell phones over-connect us to our world, and make it easy to ignore that those people around us can hear us. With cell phones omni-present, roadside call boxes and pay phones are becoming obsolete. Even if you do not have one, you can count on finding someone who will let you borrow his or hers. One of Red Skies’ staff waiting outside Meier for the bus was happy to lend a fellow student his cell phone, suspecting an emergency. However, he fell prey to the dark side of cell phone usage when the girl used the cell phone to call her boyfriend inside, “Honey, I’m right outside where I said I was going to be. Love you, see you in two minutes.”
This is Red Skies, just for me!
As a Red Skies intern, I've been writing various articles and reviews for the Salem State e-zine. In this journal, I will post all the stories that I've written for Red Skies or that I wanted to write for Red Skies. I don't consider myself some great literary figure, and happily accept constructive criticism. Please enjoy these pieces, and continue to check the real Red Skies for great works from some of my Salem State College Contemporaries.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)