Amanda Fanelli, staff writer 

Cellphones among college students today tend to be a common sight. Walking through the halls or before class starts, it seems everywhere we look we are always on our cellphones. Talking on the phone, emailing, texting, and using social media are the most common things students use their cellphones for.

Dominique Arcuri, a senior psychology child-life major, says that without her cellphone she feels totally naked, lost and annoyed. Arcuri says she mostly uses her cellphone for texting and social media, such as Instagram and Snapchat. She says she spends approximately four to five hours each day on her phone and says she can rarely use her phone while at work.

Arcuri tends to use her phone mostly at night while she is home because that is when she has the most downtime. She explained that she uses her cellphone more than her computer.

“I definitely use my phone way more than a computer, except for homework and downloading music,” Arcuri said. “I think that we are much less social than we would be if we did not have cell phones and social media.”

Although cell phones allow us to learn about the next party or social event immediately, while we are at those parties and social events, we stare at our screens the whole time. I can’t imagine going to a party or a bar without people constantly posing for pictures, taking pictures for their Snapchat stories, or texting people who aren’t there the whole time. It’s crazy that we go out to socialize with others but end up using our phones to talk to people who aren’t present.”

Joseph Massoud, a senior criminal justice major, explained that he could definitely survive a week without his cellphone.

“I wouldn’t feel obligated to answer anyone,” Massoud said.

However, he did say that it is an inconvenience when he doesn’t have his cellphone on him and that he spends the majority of his time on his phone at night. Like Arcuri, he uses his cellphone more than a computer, except for research and homework.

Massoud uses his cellphone mostly for texting and social media. When it comes to college students using their cellphones socially he feels as though people contact each other more by cell phone because they feel more ‘protected’ and comfortable than face to face interaction.

Brenna Lyons, a health studies/nursing major in her sophomore year, says she uses her cellphone 60-80 percent of the day and uses it mostly for social media and texting. Lyons also stated that she could most likely go a week without her cellphone if she had other activities to keep her busy.

“It would be hard not being able to communicate with people,” Lyons said.

She said she prefers to use her computer to her cellphone, but that she probably uses them an equal amount.

“I use my phone more during the night just because during the day I am usually always busy and pre-occupied with other things,” Lyons said. “When I am with my family eating dinner, or just talking to them, I don’t use my cell phone as much.”

She also stated that she avoids using her cellphone while doing homework and studying.

“I do believe that cellphones have changed the culture of college life just because it’s so easy to communicate through a cell phone so when it comes to communicating person to person, people get nervous or shy or they don’t care to do that as much,” Lyons said. “At times I wish cell phones weren’t invented because of this reason. I think a lot of relationships would work more if cell phones weren’t a thing, especially social media, and I believe people would be more open to interacting face to face instead of hiding behind a text message.”