Campus question: Can Centre folks survive a week without cell phones?

RELEASED: September 25, 2008

DANVILLE, KY—"What would you do if you had to go one week without a cell phone?" This is the question Laura Pasley '10, student writer in the communications office, recently asked members of the Centre College community. Following is a sampling of responses:

"I'd have a nervous breakdown. But then I wouldn't be able to call anyone to tell them about it."
Thaxton Marshall '09

"I would die. It's like a fifth limb."
Melissa Clarke, Director of Greek Life and New Student Orientation

"Not having a cell phone for a week has happened to me a lot and already this year. I don't take very good care of my phone. I'd e-mail instead of calling and become angry with people for not e-mailing me back as quickly as I'd like them to. My anger would be unjustified, because in reality, I'm the schmuck without a cell phone."
Matt Ladwig '10

"I'd make it through. And then I would sing the Barry Manilow song 'I Made it Through the Rain.'"
Nayef Samhat, Associate Dean and Frank B. and Virginia B. Hower Associate Professor of Government and International Studies

"I would use Facebook more."
Alex Chick '12

"I would cry. I would be lost. My family only uses cell phones so I would be up a creek…a crick, if you will."
Emily Perrin '09

"For my part, I don't have a cell phone at all, never have. So if others must imagine not having a cell phone, my job would be to imagine what it would be like, say, not to have running water. Those without cell phones would be hearing fewer jingles from pockets and purses. They would be talking to fewer invisible people. For my part, I would be carrying a bucket of water with me to school every day. They would be quickly out of touch. I would be quickly out of water."
Ken Keffer, H.W. Stodghill Jr. and Adele H. Stodghill Professor of Modern Languages

"I'd be effectively useless from my discombobulation at not being able to get in touch with others, and I'd probably have to regress to a more primitive communication method so I could get through the day. I have a six-year-old cousin who seems to get along well with two cups and string. He's never complained about missed calls or anything. Hell, I'm sure even he gets better service than Sprint."
John Rivers '11

"Facebook. A lot more than I already do."
George Stevens '11

"I would most definitely wander off so people couldn't find me... I could disappear all day, and it wouldn't matter. This also happened to me freshman year for all of CentreTerm. It was perhaps the greatest month of my life."
Lisa Notier '09

"I would go camping so no one could reach me, and I could be completely by myself!"
Teresa Johnstone '09

"I'd have to start taking pictures with my camera."
Michael Henry '09

"Be much more relaxed and productive."
Clarence Wyatt '78, Claude D. Pottinger Professor of History, Special Assistant to the President, and Chief Planning Officer

"Well, my main fear is pay phones. But you do get quiet time."
Sallie Bright, secretary, Academic Affairs

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

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