Put down your phones: Students too distracted

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Students on this campus are too distracted by technology and not aware of their surroundings.

Distractions are everywhere for members of this generation.

Students are distracted by smartphones and having a constant connection to the Internet. They walk around wearing earbuds, and blasting music out of their cars at full volume.

Because of how the media is a part of our lives, we are constantly connected and our attention is divided among eye-catching commercials and TV shows, Facebook and video games.

Older generations might assume that this lack of attention is a product of ADD, but the problem is that we need to learn to disconnect from our devices and focus on the important things around us.

The biggest issue is students walking around looking at their smartphones.

You may have seen a student or two walk straight into a pole while texting.

Those who seem like they are paying attention may also have the same clumsy moments, and run into another person.

Not many people are capable of multi-tasking, so walking while doing anything else is a bad idea.

It’s not just a problem for pedestrian traffic.

Many people use their phones while driving and create dangerous situations.

People are so distracted while driving, that accidents or potential accidents happen in the parking lots on campus.

Driving while using a phone is such a major problem, that laws have been put in place to discourage people from distracted driving.

According to the National Safety Council, 100,000 crashes a year are caused by just texting while driving.

It isn’t a problem with walking or driving, but whenever you are in control of something you shouldn’t be on the phone.

Crime is another major issue for those who are always distracted.

When people aren’t aware of their surroundings, it makes it easier for criminals to prey upon unsuspecting victims.

For those that like to use their phones while walking out to their car, they may not see someone sneak up behind them.

While it’s not necessarily their fault if they are victims in any situation, there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe, including putting your phone down, and knowing who is around you.

One situation where distractions were involved in a crime situation was the shooting that happened on the San Francisco Muni light-rail train on Sept. 23.

The gunman waved his gun in the air several times, while passengers were staring at screens, unaware of the danger.

If this were to happen at Delta, chances are that a similar result could occur with the level of distraction among students.

We are so distracted that we may not even notice if someone’s child was about to drown in the Koi pond, or if anyone else was in any sort of danger at all.

In our studies, we are distracted, not even paying attention in class while we play the next level of Candy Crush or listen to the sounds of power tools from the construction around campus.

We offer the solution that students wake up and pay attention to the world around them.

You don’t need to be on your phones all day.

You don’t need to check Facebook hourly.

You don’t need to text back your friends immediately.

You don’t need to reach the next level of your cell phone games.

It can wait.

We are so attached to our devices that we can’t even let our phones ring for long without suffering withdrawal.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

We have lived without these technologies for most of human history, but it’s become such a part of people’s lifestyles that they can’t let it go.

It’s time to disconnect.

We challenge you to put down your phones and step back at least one time during the day.

Use the time to take a better look at the world around you.