University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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digital by Mitia Benvenuto A student receives a text message while she sits in class. Many students used text messaging to entertain themselves during boring lectures. R. Peplinski photo A student takes a break from a long night of studying to play a quick game of chess. Many students used these digital games to ease the pain of studying. P. Andrews photo ' It ' s sickenii ie, ' said Zikina Re hd on cell iis remark D fraction, ykbtevi Of course, indents, die in intense v WorMB HdiCc flint ha led to i fee new gi Students WB risk TOT dasase at least idit the KV a trie tit mil ' Jackie taoiitai pictures tea logy

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obsession... Senior communication studies major Mia Gabbai goes over the assigned celebrity readings before class. The impact of celebrity culture was so great that the University created a communication studies class devoted to the subject. R. Peplinski photo A local bookstore displays a section of old Life magazines featuring celebrity culture. Students were interested not only in current celebrities, but those who were big influences in the past as well. R. Peplinski photo michgan life 27

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A student changes the song on her iPod as she walks to class in Mason Hall. It was extremely common for students to walk around campus plugged into wireless devices. R. Peplinski photo Blackberries, iPods, Sidekicks, cell phones, Bluetooth receivers, digital cameras and TiVo: the trendy technology that consumed students ' lives at the University when they weren ' t in class or studying. Even during class, students used text messaging to keep themselves preoccupied during mundane lectures, while others depended on their iPods to provide musical inspiration as they studied. It ' s sickening that I can ' t live without my cell phone, said junior communication studies major Zabrina Reich. The dependency that students had on cell phones was almost problematic. If this remarkable piece of technology ever ceased to function, students temporarily lost all their contacts. Land lines were pretty much extinct from students ' homes, except in the residence halls, but even those weren ' t primarily utilized. Of course, if cell phones posed problems for students, they just harnessed their frustration into an intense workout, with the company of their iPod or MP3 player. Sophomore psychology major Meredith Coppola said, I wouldn ' t go to the gym if I didn ' t have my iPod. I absolutely need music to have a good workout and my iPod holds so many songs that I never get tired of it. Portable CD players just didn ' t cut it, and hardly anyone listened to radio. It seemed like everyone had these new gizmos, and if you didn ' t you weren ' t up with the latest technological trends. Students were always able to capture their most stylish wear with the digital cameras that practically served as a secondary purse for girls. For the most part, at least half of the people at any social event were carrying digital cameras. Those who were without these brilliant devices simply had to borrow a friend ' s camera, and upload the photos to their own computer. Junior sports marketing major Jackie Stern said, I never bring my digital camera out at night. I rely on other people to take pictures because someone always does. So I just put their pictures on my laptop. They make great screen savers. Many of these gadgets were very fragile and not perfected to last for years, but it did not hinder their popularity on campus. Students didn ' t have to choose between a night out with friends and a television show thanks to TiVo, and they could check their e-mail incessantly throughout the day with a Blackberry. This was one technological trend among students that seemed like it was going to thrive for years.