Freedom Wheels: The Teen’s Search for a First Car

By Christina Schrempp and Jonathan Shealy

aThEENs 3410 staff

Long lines, long waits, awkward-looking identification pictures: to most, visits to the DMV are dreaded experiences. Visit any DMV and notice the crowd. Everyone looks miserable except for a small select group: teenagers eagerly waiting to take their driving test. Watch them as they anxiously fiddle with their keys, you can almost see the wheels of the brain spinning with dreams of a weekend cruise around town with friends, windows down, music up, far from the watchful eyes of Mom and Dad. Now all they need is a car.

"Having a car and license simply means independence to me and to the average teen," said Betty Migombo, an 18-year-old senior at Clarke Central High School. "For years and years we had to get our parents, friends, or siblings to drive us where we needed to go, but being able to do that for yourself is a lot better. It sounds cheesy but it's almost like a freeing experience when you realize that you don't have to beg my mom to drive me to the mall, you can just do that for yourself."

Teens make up 7 percent of all licensed American drivers, and by the end of 2010, research estimates that 26.1 million 16-to-20-year-old drivers will be on the roads. U.S. News and World Report reports 286,269 teen drivers in the state of Georgia, accounting for 38 percent of the state's total teen population. Clarke Central High School alone has nearly 800 driving-age students. For the past five years, the school has sold between 275-325 parking permits to students.

The teen market is a sizable one, and local car dealers know it. "We have a ton of parents come in with their teenagers ready to buy a new car," said salesman Philip Hayes of the Toyota Mall of Georgia dealership. Since no one under 18 is allowed to finance a car at a dealership in the state of Georgia, car salesmen often have the job of pleasing two (sometimes) opposing parties: the parents and the teen. As Hayes explains, dealerships must be skilled in pitching their products in such a way that produces a happy compromise between the parents' focus on safety and durability and the teen's need for style and customization. "Sometimes I'm tempted to get a car just because of how fast it can go, how technologically advanced it is, or just simply by the brand, and that most of the time doesn't resonate with them," said Migombo of her car-buying differences with her parents.

For teens, size, style, and convenience are the highest selling points. "It's the little things that matter," said 17-year-old Emily Allen, a junior at Clarke Central High School, "This might sound stupid, but windows are important. Not all my friends have [automatic] windows and no one wants the kind you have to crank. Also...clickers to open the car. I don't have one...a lot of people want them. It's convenient." Size, while a big factor for teens, depends on the needs of the individual. Allen is content with the size of her 2000 silver Volkswagen Beetle, commonly called a "Bug," ("I wanted a small car, something easy to maneuver"), but explains how her friend's Nissan Xterra better fits her busy lifestyle: "She basically lives out of her car...so the size is good for her, she can carry all her books and friends and stuff and have room for all her tennis stuff that she needs for practice after school." Migombo says she also likes SUVs but claims the four-door sedan would be "ideal".

To teens, cars often represent their unique personalities. The bubbly, friendly Allen certainly feels this way about her fun, hip Volkswagen: "It's my dream car. I saw it in 1998, when it first came out. It had daisy wheels...I told my dad I wanted it. He said, 'When you’re old enough, I’ll be able to afford that car'. So when it came time for me to get a car, I definitely knew what I wanted." Her parents had been talking about getting her the car since she got her learner's permit at 15. They finally found the perfect "Bug" in Savannah, and her father, who fixes cars, restored the car's interior and gave it to his daughter for her 16th birthday. "My car's very girly," she says with a smile. "[It] fits my personality very well. My friends always say that. I can’t imagine driving any other kind of car."

Many parents and teens do share one important requirement for a car choice: low gas mileage. "When it comes to the basics like gas mileage we are pretty much on the same page," says Migombo. While parents often foot the bill for insurance, many Athens teens are responsible for paying for their own gas. "All my friends pay for their own gas," says Allen, who uses her entire summer job paycheck to pay for her gas expenses during the year. Additionally, for teens going off to college who plan to do a lot of traveling, good gas mileage is a necessity in any car choice. "Since I'm going to go to college in Alabama and my family is moving to North Carolina, I would really like a car that has very good gas mileage," says Migombo. "I wouldn't want a car that needed to be filled every other day just because the gas mileage sucked."

"A lot of my peers have cars like Toyotas, Nissans, and Hondas," says Migombo, a good choice according to experts and dealers. These entry-level cars are relatively inexpensive and combine all the qualities important to teens and parents alike: good gas mileage, style, safety, reliability, performance, low insurance rates, good size for passengers, and driving comfort. Unsurprisingly, these cars are some of the most popular among first-car buyers. While "entry-level" may bring to mind cringe-worthy images of a cramped interior, boring specs, and standard (a.k.a. if you are lucky, you might get a CD player and power locks) features, today's entry-level cars are well equipped and spacious.

Take the 2010 Toyota Corolla and Scion, two of the most popular entry-level models: satellite radio capabilities, MP3-compatible auxiliary audio jack, and power locks all come standard. Same goes for the Honda Civic and Ford Focus, all cars priced under $20,000, perfect for a tight budget.

According to Allen, however, a passerby won't see a bunch of brand new car models lining the parking rows at her high school. "Most people have used cars," she explains, noting the numerous black and navy blue Ford Explorers, the collection of 1999-2000 Honda Civics, and "lots of hand-me-down cars." Both she and Migombo drive used cars as well (a 2000 silver Volkswagen Beetle and a Toyota, respectively). While she admits that she'd instantly take her parents up on an offer for a new car, Allen is skeptical as to if the risk is worth the payout. "I think it's a little ridiculous, anything can happen," Allen says of her peers who own new cars. She tells of a friend who received a new car for her birthday, only to get in an accident a few months later. "It wasn't her fault but now she has a big dent in the back of her brand new car. That's a lot of money wasted."

Migombo's parents agree: they decided to wait till graduation to reward Migombo with a new car after she was involved in a small accident a few months after she received her license. Lucky for Migombo, her graduation is just around the corner: "I'm a senior and I'm beyond excited. Excited doesn't even describe it."

Jayne O'Donnell, an auto writer for USA Today, takes the opposite approach, focusing more on the safety aspect of newer cars, considering the fact that teens are much more likely to get in an accident: "While it's common to seek out a used car for a teen driver, keep in mind that a vehicle more than three or four years old is pretty unlikely to have the latest safety equipment. Only in the last three years have many non-luxury cars had stability control or side airbags available. But if you're lucky enough to find an affordable slightly older model with the right features, go for it." Since price is such a major factor, O'Donnell suggests that the important thing is to get the safest car you can afford. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, car accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers, as 3,500 teens were killed in 2008. On its Web site it states that: "The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash."

In a time marked by automotive uncertainty, now more than ever, aesthetics are taking a back seat to dependability and safety in the minds of parents and teens alike. The 2009 bankruptcies of several car companies and the recent Toyota recall have left customers demanding responsibility from their car companies. "People are just concerned whether the cars they're buying are safe and whether the problems have been fixed," said Hayes, the Toyota salesman. "We're just trying to reassure them that they're buying quality vehicles." Lucky for the local Toyota dealerships, Toyota seems as popular as ever among young drivers and their parents. Migombo speaks of her father's preference for foreign-made cars like Toyota, and lists the brand as a personal favorite as well: "A Toyota is just very economical and overall doesn't have a lot of problems. It's the kind of car that I could rely on to take me through my years of college." According to Hayes, the company's sales have returned to normal after a decrease the first three weeks after the recall announcement.

Staying Fit in Athens

By Christina Dailey & Holly Hess
aThEENs 3410 staff

The strong smell of chlorine and sound of splashing water fills the Gabrielsen Natatorium at the Ramsey Student Center of UGA. Prince Avenue Christian School Senior Alex Dempsey, 18, knows these two things far too well. Dempsey is a sixth year member of the Athens Bulldog Swim Club. Dempsey feels that high school physical education requirements and classes are not sufficient enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, he is involved with ABSC “for fun and to stay in shape.”

Talk with local teens about their extracurricular activities, and two things become apparent: the high school physical education requirements alone are not enough to keep them healthy (according to the Clarke County School District, the requirement for students is to participate in one physical education class in high school) and because of this, teens are turning to other sports and activities to keep them busy and active. With Dempsey as just one example, there seems to be a large teen population in Athens that goes beyond school requirements and participates in after-school sports, year-round teams and other activities.

Most students agree that high school PE is less than rigorous, this encourages students to participate in their high school sports. Clarke Central High School student Daniel DeSimone, 17, is active in both tennis and cross country. DeSimone is involved in after-school sports “because I really want to stay active, and I like staying active. I like the idea of being healthy and fit.” He also says it is refreshing to be able to move after a long day of sitting in class. Assistant Tennis Coach at Clarke Central Dale Autry says that, “The physical fitness aspect of sports helps them stay active and happy, mentally and physically.”

Ruskee Poterfield, 15, a North Oconee sophomore, emphasizes that her school’s PE requirements are way below what she believes are needed to stay healthy. Although she cheers on the competition cheerleading team, she has implemented a workout regiment that includes crunches, push-ups and a mile run per day to maintain her health. In addition to high school sports, students have other options at their fingertips.

“There is so much you can get involved in,” said North Oconee Senior Haley Davis, about the amount of teams and clubs offered within Athens. Some of these options include Athens Power Yoga where students can choose between a basic class and an all level inclusive class almost any day of the week. For the adventure-seeking teen, SORBA is the “voice of mountain biking in Athens” and does group rides for all levels. The up-and-coming sport of disc golf is also an option for teens to get involved with the Athens Disc Golf Association. Anyone can play in the “random doubles” league that meets on Mondays at 6 p.m. at Herman C. Michael Park or Thursdays at 6 p.m. at Sandy Creek Nature Center.

If these activities don’t sound appealing, there’s always the gym. Teens can choose between a number of locations, but the Ramsey Student Center and The Omni Club seem to dominate in teen attendance. Ramsey offers affordable rates at $22 a semester for children under the age of 18, but must be accompanied by an adult. People between the ages of 18-24 can be a member of Ramsey for $80 a semester. The Omni Club offers a complimentary 5-day pass to try out their gym. They also offer a variety of classes from yoga to spinning to Pilates.

Ramsey is also offering a new “Fit Well Teen Camp” this summer. The camp offers two 4-week sessions meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The purpose of this camp is to “teach teenagers the importance of physical activity, proper nutrition and fitness to achieve a healthy lifestyle.” Also, “the goal is to create an environment for all to begin to learn and love fitness.” This is a perfect opportunity for teens between the age of 13 and 17 to experience fun fitness with their peers. Registration for “Fit Well Teen Camp” begins on April 1 and is $60 for Ramsey members and $75 for non-members. There are numerous camps around the Athens area during the summer to keep teens healthy and fit.

Before spending $100 on new running shoes to get motivated, here are some tips to get started. The Surgeon General suggests that a physically active individual exercises for at least 30 minutes at a low to moderate intensity for at least 3-5 days per week. According to UGA Exercise and Sports Science major Michael Mansfield, 22, “Exercise can come in almost any form. From running to playing an intense game of volleyball, exercise is exercise.” It is important to consume a variety of food groups in one’s daily diet in order to replace the nutrients that are lost when exercising. Mansfield also mentions that, “If an individual does not give the body proper rest, energy, and sleep, then the effects of exercise could impact the body in a less than positive fashion.”

The various teen activities highlighted allow teens to formulate an individual physical fitness regimen that fits their lifestyle. Whether it is with a high school, a club or a group of friends, Athens teens have the opportunity and resources to get active, and many of them already are.

HOPE still on the horizon for Georgia teens

By Kaylea Notarthomas & Rebecca Gentry
aThEENs 3410 Staff

There is still HOPE for Georgia teenagers who plan to attend college in state.

Despite general misconceptions about possible elimination of the HOPE scholarship due to the proposed budget cuts for the University System of Georgia (USG), the HOPE scholarship will still be available to all eligible prospective undergraduates. The scholarship will continue to cover tuition for students who attend a public university in Georgia. However, the effects of the budget cut may dissuade students from pursuing a degree in education.

The original budget proposal for the USG included a possible $300 million in cuts. According to the original budget proposal, the largest potential cut for the University of Georgia is the elimination of an estimated 543 faculty positions and a reduction in the incoming student body of 1500 students. This cut will supposedly save nearly $15 million. Job cuts at Georgia Tech could save the school a whopping $35 million dollars with 452 positions eliminated. The University of West Georgia could save $1.1 million by cutting two entire academic departments. The actual budget passed by the state House of Representatives on April 14 outlines $146 million in cuts. While effects may not be as extreme due to the reduced budget cuts, the USG is still under pressure to comply with the new budget. The HOPE scholarship, however, will remain untouched.

"The HOPE scholarship is still here, and the FAFSA process enables schools to award the students any federal aid for which they qualify," said Jay Mooney, associate director of the Office of Student Financial Aid at the University of Georgia, the flagship university of the USG.

Thus students who qualify for the HOPE scholarship will not have to worry about paying tuition for in-state public universities. "It will definitely affect my parents more than myself because they will be paying for whatever is not covered by HOPE. But for students who will be paying half or all of their tuition, I can't even imagine how hard of a hit they're going to take," said Lexi Deagen, 18, a senior at Clarke Central High School who will attend UGA in the fall.

For many families in Athens-Clarke County, the cost of attendance is the sole determinant of whether or not a student attends college. Without financial aid or scholarships, many students will be unable to pursue a higher-education degree. For example, 70 percent of students at Clarke Central High School qualify for free and reduced lunch according to data from the Clarke County School District.

“It will be a bigger strain on my family's budget,” said Rachel Grossman, 18, a senior at Clarke Central High School who was accepted to UGA, of the possibility of not receiving scholarship money.

Courtney Garmhaus, 20, a junior at UGA and alumnus of Oconee County High School, expressed that financial strain is a problem for Oconee students as well. "I would still be able to attend school, but it would be a lot harder. I wouldn't be able to be as involved in student groups as I am because I would have to work more," she said.

So what are the options available to students who are ineligible for the HOPE scholarship? Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year is highly encouraged, according to Mooney. Students can be reviewed for Federal Pell Grant eligibility, and they can request a Federal Direct Loan in order to cover the cost of attendance. Federal funds are widely available for students who need them. In 2009 the Pell Grant alone awarded an estimated $25.3 billion to eligible students.

Pell Grant amounts are awarded based on several factors. These include expected family contribution (EFC), cost of attendance at the university, whether the student is attending full-time or part-time, and the program's length of study. If a student is not awarded a Pell Grant, taking out a loan is the most popular alternative option, but these funds do eventually have to be repaid.

These options do not apply solely to students wishing to attend a public university, but also private universities in the state. Some proposed cuts may discourage students from even applying to certain universities. "I know students this year who limited themselves to what schools they applied for because of tuition increases. Some of them even had to give up their dream school," said Deagen. One of the grants that may be cut is the Tuition Equalization Grant. All students at private universities in Georgia receive $750 from this grant. Because of this possible loss of funding, it is important that all students utilize resources such as FAFSA and online scholarship searches, according to Mooney.

"We encourage students to utilize the free scholarship search engines available on the web," said Mooney.

Students aspiring to be teachers may still find themselves searching for adequate funding to complete their degrees, however. The budget cut proposal may affect the amount of funding for two lottery-funded programs in Georgia, the PROMISE Teacher Scholarship Loan and the HOPE Teacher Scholarship Loan. The PROMISE loan is awarded to students who have committed to teach by their third year in college. The purpose of the loan is to attract more students to the profession of teaching. But fewer funds may lead to fewer education students.

And there are not many students interested in teaching in the first place. "Of the nearly 80 seniors I work with each year, typically one or two will express interest in pursuing a teaching career. Seniors in high school are often undecided about their futures and may change college majors. Obviously, the less scholarship money available overall, the fewer options students have," said Heidi Nibbelink, a guidance counselor at Clarke Central High School.

"My hope would be that our state would pride itself on growing one of the finest higher education programs in the country and making it available to as many residents as are willing to take part. Education is the key to being productive and thriving in our global society," she continued.

"They could be taking that money from so many other things but they're choosing to take it from education, and then to ask for so much, it's crazy!" said Aashka Chaudhari, 17, a junior at Clarke Central High School who wishes to attend UGA. Cuts to the HOPE Teacher Scholarship Loan extend these problems into graduate school.

Nonetheless, Mooney does not anticipate a decrease in enrollment in education students, especially because funding is still available through other means such as the Federal Direct Loans. "Although both are good programs, students can still borrow Federal Direct Loans, which also have teacher forgiveness provisions. I don't feel elimination for funding for these two programs would deter students from pursuing their undergraduate or graduate teaching degrees," he said.

College recruiting: Easy for some, not for others

By Mitch Blomert and Joe Willeford
aThEENs 3410 staff

Oconee County High School senior Andrew Kowalski faces a difficult dilemma as graduation approaches.

The 18-year-old standout kicker and soccer player for the Warriors must choose to continue his athletic career in college, or walk away from organized sports altogether.

It’s a decision talented high school athletes across the country must make before they walk across the stage to receive their diplomas—attend college solely for an education, or balance it with sports on the side?

While some athletes enjoy a relatively simple recruiting process, picking up numerous full-ride scholarships from athletic powerhouses across the country after a star-studded high school career, others don’t get to enjoy the glamour. Such is the case for Kowalski, who is currently listed as a preferred walk-on in football and must be academically accepted to a college to play for them.

“My options are Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern,” Kowalski said.

Jamie Stephens, 18, a fellow Oconee County senior and Kowalski’s teammate in soccer and football, faces the same hardship of getting noticed by universities for athletic purposes. Not only did Stephens send videos highlighting his senior season to colleges, he also made several campus visits, travelling as far as Notre Dame. But he, too, has yet to be offered a scholarship.

Warriors boys soccer coach Colin Connors empathizes with his two players’ struggles to get noticed by colleges. Even with Oconee County’s record standing at 14-0 and a No. 2 ranking among Class AAA teams in Georgia, Connors says soccer players can’t sit back and wait for scholarship offers, but instead must go out and attract the colleges themselves.

“Most of the players I have had recruited have been by smaller colleges,” Connors said. “Usually these small colleges have smaller budgets so they won't always find the player first but rather the player initiates the recruiting process by letting the school know they are interested in playing there.

“As their coach, I help kids know about what schools are interested in them or what schools they are good enough to play at and should contact if they are interested in playing in college.”

For some athletes in other sports, such as football or baseball, getting a scholarship offer from a major NCAA Division-I athletic program such as the University of Georgia is a simple task. With training camps and recruiting Web sites monitoring each individual player, finding high school talent has become a major part of athletic programs at colleges across the country.

Such was the case for UGA shortstop Kyle Farmer, who was offered a baseball scholarship his senior year at Marist School in Atlanta. Despite also receiving offers from Mississippi, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt and Louisville, it only took nine days for the freshman to commit to the Bulldogs.

“The baseball program is one of the top programs in the nation, and I wanted to play at a high level,” Farmer said. “[The coaches] were very welcoming and almost seemed like one of your best friends. I felt that all of these things put together made UGA the perfect place for me to play baseball and to get a great education."

Although Farmer was recruited mostly during his senior year of high school, the process starts even sooner for more talented athletes, especially in football. According to the NCAA, Division-I colleges can offer scholarships to high school football players as early as Sept. 1 of their junior year.

That’s when three Clarke Central High School football players in Athens began receiving scholarship offers. Alan Posey, a 6-foot-6, 305-pound junior offensive lineman, has six Division-I offers and has yet to begin his senior year of high school.

Two of his teammates, quarterback Martay Mattox and linebacker Jordan Pierce, have also received collegiate attention as juniors. Mattox has received offers from South Carolina, Maryland and South Florida, while Pierce has been offered by smaller schools such as Alabama State and Valparaiso.

“It’s become more of a trend to commit [to a college] junior year,” said UGA football writer Bill Murphy, who also runs a recruiting blog for the Gainesville Times, “If a kid doesn’t have offers by their junior year, he won’t be a Division-I athlete.”

So how are athletes being found so soon early in their high school career? Murphy believes it has to do completely with the Internet, where recruiting Web sites with profiles on each prospect is available, along with their favorite schools, a list of schools that have offered scholarships, highlight videos and a what training camps they have attended.

Two major recruiting Web sites, Rivals.com and Scout.com, each have thousands of high school athletes in their databases for football, baseball and basketball. Worldwide sports news leader ESPN also has its own recruiting site, where it lists its “ESPN 150,” a detailed breakdown of the top 150 football players in the country.

“College recruiting is huge and it gets bigger every year, and a lot of it goes back to the Internet and how quickly they can get information,” Murphy said. “There’s no excuse for not knowing what’s going on. If a coach can’t recruit and doesn’t have a good season, they’re out the door.”

But sometimes finding the next big college superstar means looking right on campus after attending the high school practices and games. That’s what Kowalski hopes for as he strives to become a college athlete without scholarship offers to guide him.

“The most important thing is to get into school first,” Kowalski said. “Then you try to make yourself appealing.”

Cell phones: where have all the calls gone?

By Alison Grimes and Nancy Hanger
aThEENs 3410 staff

There is an old saying that one has truly grasped a foreign language when they start dreaming in that language; well text message lingo may be the newest dream lingo for many American teens.

Text messaging has become a phenomenon in recent years, and from the looks of it, there is no stopping in the future. Researchers and educators struggle with concern as this text message phenomenon has reached alarming proportions affecting the normal growth and development of our teen population.

What does this new trend mean? It means the “tween” and teenagers of society are now communicating with each other through a completely different means.

It seems as though communicating through text has become not only the primary form of communication for teens, but for many the only form of communication. Obviously, cell phones have taken over as the way for our society to communicate, as well as, stay informed, but has anyone taken a look at how far this digital trend has emerged its way into our society?

A 2009 study by Fiance Education Group concluded that the average age children get their first cellular phone is 8 years old. To many this may be mind baffling, but instead of honing in on the shock factor, think about what lessons today’s children are learning from this digital switch. Eight-year-old children cruising around on their bicycles with cell phones is probably unimaginable to some, but with the digital world taking over that image is going to soon be a popular sight.

Teens, more importantly, are embracing a whole new digital life that no other generation has experienced before. Five years ago, it would be considered rude almost uncanny, to end a relationship or attempt to prove a detailed argument through a text message, but teens today would not even second guess shooting a text before making a phone call.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and expert on texting growth, Sherry Turkle, describes this new digital life as one unique to the teenage cohort.

“This is really the first generation that grew up with simulation to the point that they see simulation as a virtue and have a very hard time identifying where reality slips away from simulation, often in subtle ways,” Turkle said.

Katherine Downs, a 17-year-old sophomore from Clarke Central High School, talks about how she text everyone from her friends to even her parents. “It can range from frivolous conversations to like, my parents discussing some necessary information. More often than not, It's a conversation with one of my friends from school. Texting is huge. I used to not do it, at all, all and now, it's unavoidable.”

Michael Lopez, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Centennial High School in Roswell, Ga. and owner of a Blackberry Pearl, says “I would for sure argue with someone in a text message. I have more time to think about what I am going to say and most of the time it is just easier to get my point across.” Lopez also goes on to say that “texting is more, ummm, convenient, I guess because it means there is no chance to deal with that whole awkward silence situation.”

Standards do exist to some in the texting world. A 16-year-old Centennial sophomore and owner of an Apple iPhone, Alyssa Strenger, says “I would never break up with some one in a text message and ya, I would be really pissed if someone did it to me.”

The majority of college students, although not too much older in age, would even say that a text message would be one of the last places that they would manage a dispute with someone else. Clearly to the younger generation, verbalizing through a text message is the ideal comfort level of communication.

Although the high school population seems to be the prime “texters,” the trend has not necessarily fully captured all middle school students. Thirteen year old Morton County Middle School student who also owns a LG Envy touch phone, Anna Lindsey, says “I don’t text that much, but most of my friends do all the time.”

Anna may soon be a rare sight, because although she admits to not being as frequent of a texter as her friends, she does say “I feel more comfortable with my cell phone on me than not.” Cell phones are taking over as teens' new security blanket.

Just as any fad that hits teen students, school systems have to keep up with regulations. Cell phones have been in school policies for a couple years now, but with teens now needing to only communicate through a text message it is hard to imagine that any school regulation would stop them.

Strenger states, “I see someone get busted with their phone literally everyday. I have been in trouble too, but it is not scary or anything. They try to act like it is, but all they do is take your phone until the end of the day.”

Anna, who is on her way to complete the seventh grade, claims, “ We’re allowed to have the phone on us, but it can’t be turned on or seen. But, my friends all do it anyways.” Lenient enforcement of school cell phone rules is just as nonchalant to teachers.

Gerry Siegel, 7th grade teacher of Ridgeview Middle School talks about his school’s cell phone policy, “The rules for phones around here are very lax. Usually we just take them from their possession and give it back to them at the end of the day. What good does that do? I don’t know, I have been wondering the same thing.”

Downs admits her texting habit shies from her friends, but says even she is baffled with some student’s need for their phone at school. “Yes, I am guilty of texting during class. I never text during a test or something, but definitely during a regular lesson, I do. I'm really not sneaky, though.” She laughs. “My friends always make fun of me for it. But I would say I don't text the most compared to other kids I know. It's crazy, I actually know some people who talk on their phone during class.”

Without having any legitimate punishments for 24-hour communication, the texting does truly become a habit. Many college students admit to texting all throughout their classes. University of Georgia freshman and nineteen year old “text fiend“, Courtney Guest, says that “I spend my whole class texting or getting on Facebook or something like that. Texting is too tempting during class because it is so easy.” Guest also has an Apple iphone and she does admit that having the plethora of “apps” has caused her to stay on her phone even more.

This newly created unbreakable habit is clearly ranging from middle school classrooms to college lecture halls. It is no surprise that some parents are doing anything they can to blockade this teen culture from deviating their homes.

Lindsey admits, “My parents are always telling me I text too much. They tell me I can’t answer anyone until after dinner. So I just don’t bring my phone to the table anymore.” In Lindsey’s case her parents are hanging on to more power then most.

Strenger smirked, “Me and my dad used to fight about texting all the time. Then he just gave up and got me unlimited. Now he can’t say anything about it, because there are no more extra charges on the bill. We are both happy, you could say!”

Strenger, similar to Guest, now somewhat considers her cell phone a lifetime necessity. Not only are the teens using their cell phones for texting, they are sleeping with them for the use of alarm clocks, they are using them as calendars and cameras.

With cell phones and texting replacing numerous parts of the daily routine, it is no surprise that some dangers have emerged from the habit. People build a relationship with their technology, it is almost treated as another person.

Turkle explains this new kind of relationship, “There are relationships with machines where your relationship is not via the machine to another person. No, I'm talking about relating to a robot, relating to a bot and being willing to take what you can get in that relationship as being sort of sufficient unto the day. And at least as I can see from interviewing children and teenagers, we're gradually moving into expanding, gradually and gradually, the realms in which we think it's appropriate to relate to a machine.”

Since people are now creating “bot” relationships, it is no surprise that there has been an increase in potential dangers related to texting. Car accidents caused by people texting while driving is on a steady incline. From eight-year-old children getting cell phones to the dangers of texting while driving, our society is beginning to witness a small glimpse of the potential that this new phenomenon posses.

It is clear that teenage communication is undergoing a generational change, let’s just hope everyone in society can keep up with these fast fingered adolescents.