Dying from boredom

Assistant sports editor gets disconnected

“No cell phone for three days and that’s final!” Teenagers would turn into a tantrum-throwing three year old if their parents said that phrase.

Assistant sports editor Colleen Cook might not have thrown a fit, but when she found out she could not use her phone from Friday morning to Sunday night, she was less than happy. Cook had to keep the device that 56 percent of American teenagers own in her backpack all weekend.

“It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be,” Cook said.

One of the reasons a phone is a necessary part of any teenager’s technology tool bag is that a phone is not just a phone anymore. Cell phones are equipped with internet, instant messenger, GPS, music, a camera, a voice recorder, games, video recorder, alarms, calendars, a calculator and text messaging.

Not only is a phone a source of entertainment, but a source of safety as well. The percentage of teens owning phones has increased 51 percent since 2000. Due to Sept. 11, parents worry more and want to know where their kids are in times of crisis.

“My parents, mostly my dad, were worried [that I didn’t have a cell phone],” Cook said. “My parents had [my volleyball friend’s numbers, so they could call them.”

Adults shake their heads about how much teenagers use their cell phones. The phrase “we never had that when I was growing up” is often said to teens.

“It was good because my friends have gotten annoyed that I text so much,” Cook said. “It was kind of a phone detox.”

Staff writer gets logged off the computer

While most teenagers have not taken formal computer classes, the generation is still very computer-friendly, so free time is spent on the internet.

Before text messaging was widespread, teens were hooked on instant messaging. Even today, 75 percent of teens use an instant messaging program.

Staff writer Christine LaPlaca was not allowed to use her computer for three days. This meant no internet, no Microsoft word and no games.

“It was easier than I thought it was going to be, especially considering I use it a lot on the weekends,” LaPlaca said.

LaPlaca had a lot of free time without the distraction of the computer.

“I got my homework done, watched T.V, ran errands with my dad and went to my sister’s basketball game,” LaPlaca said.  “I think I was more active.”

Boredom became a significant effect.

 “It wasn’t so bad, but at one point I got really bored and wanted to get on the computer,” LaPlaca said.

Becoming “unplugged” from the computer, can really help teens reconnect with the world. Instead of teens being wrapped up in their own world, they tend to spend more time with family and do things they do not normally do.

“I talked more with my family because there was nothing else to do,” LaPlaca said. “I don’t normally go to my sister’s games and I didn’t feel as tired from staring at a screen all day.”

Off key singing substituted for iPod

The iPod Touch, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle, and iPod Classic have not only taken the music world by storm, but have made a significant impact on today’s teens.

Assistant business manager Devin Fennelly struggled not to use her iPod on the bus. She was forced for an entire weekend to find an alternative to her customized play lists.

“Friday was the hardest because my bus driver was listening to this really country station and its not that I don’t like country music, it’s just that it was really quiet [on the bus],” Fennelly said.

In 2006, nearly one third of U.S. teens owned an iPod according to macsimumnews.com. In 2008, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced iTunes had sold over four billion songs since its initial launching in 2003.

Without her iPod, Fennelly experienced family bonding when she was stuck in the car with her parents.

“When I’m in the car with my parents I listen to my iPod, but because I didn’t have it, we talked more,” Fennelly said.

Fennelly is not a fan of listening to the radio for a couple of reasons.

“The radio plays the same song over and over again,” Fennelly said. “That annoys me a little bit.”

A huge struggle for Fennelly was trying to do her homework without music so she found another alternative.

“I would sing to myself for noise,” Fennelly said.

Putting 'editorial' controls on the T.V.

Nobody thought it was possible for teens to become even more addicted to television, but then Ti-Vo hit the scene. What would you do without both T.V and Ti-Vo? One girl can relate.

“I normally watch T.V. after school, but I couldn’t, so I got on the computer instead,” Hensley said. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

Boredom quickly became Hensley’s companion so she had to find other things, like shopping, to occupy herself.

“I hung out more with friends,” Hensley said. “I went to Cub Run pool with my sister to work on swimming strokes and spent time with my dog outside.”

Ti-Vo makes it so that shows can be taped and saved to the T.V. for later watch. Hensley’s struggle came when she could not catch up on her shows on the weekend like she normally does.

“I Ti-Vo shows and normally watch them on the weekends,” Hensley said. “This weekend I couldn’t watch American Idol.”

Hensley found the experience that she had without her television to be an eye-opener.

“I think it was a good thing for me because I realized how much T.V. I watch on the weekends and I got more work done that I would’ve just blown off.”