How often do you walk to class (or to the Plex, or to Lower…) while listening to music? For almost everybody I see at BC, the answer is A LOT. The majority of students walking around campus have their earbuds in, and are tuning out the world around them. But why?
Sometimes we all just need to get away from the rest of the world by turning up the loudest song we can find. It’s also a great feeling to strut to your favorite jam on your way to class. Every once in a while is fine, but when you have your headphones on nonstop, you get lost in your own world. There is so much going on around you – you just don’t always notice it. Being headphone-free while on your way to class could help you find out about activities, let you talk to friends you wouldn’t normally see, or even just relax you before your exam.
Along with missing everything going on around you, with headphones on you also miss out on communicating with others. Or even worse, you may be communicating without even noticing. Headphones send a message of wanting to block everybody out. If you see somebody listening to music, it’s normal to stay away from him or her instead of saying hi and having a conversation, whether it’s in your dorm or on the way to class.
It can also be dangerous if you always have your earbuds in. Being blocked off from the world, you don’t notice if anything bad is going on around you. Not only could people sneak up on you, but you don’t notice cars or trains or anything else harmful coming at you since you can’t hear it. If you don’t want to seem unsociable or if you want to be safe, it would make sense to take the earbuds out and enjoy the world around you.
So Collegiettes, next time you’re about to leave your room, leave your headphones there and start tuning in!
Photo Sources:
http://hauensteincenter.org/world-history-after-1500-everything-changes/