If you’ve ever tried to get on CyRide anywhere on Osborn Drive directly after a class, you know how difficult of a task it can be. The old sardine metaphor truly comes to life while students are asked to fill in all available seats, stand in two single-file lines, and put their backpacks between their legs. You know the drill.

At least, I thought everyone knew the drill. The other day I was sitting in the back of a cramped bus when the driver made the usual announcement, and despite there being three obviously empty seats, the last few people standing on the bus didn’t budge. I was stunned that so many people could be so blatantly oblivious and rude, and then it made sense: They were all listening to iPods.

I suppose I could have done my civic duty by getting their attention and politely asking them to sit down, but being that everyone trying to board the bus was able to get on, I decided against interrupting the offenders from their stupor. Besides, is it really my or anybody else’s responsibility to baby-sit those who are unwilling to be attentive citizens? Unfortunately, I find myself asking this question more and more every day.

Lately, the iPod situation on campus has been a very mixed bag. For an audio nut like myself, it’s encouraging to see so many others be enthusiastic about their preferred music. However, the social, people-loving side of me mourns the decline of human interaction in the mundane activities of everyday life. Whether it’s walking around campus, standing on the bus, ordering food or sitting in class, a huge number of people are so mentally invested in what they’re listening to that they essentially cut themselves off from everyone around them. No song is worth making that sacrifice.

It’s even gotten to the point that I can’t catch the attention of people walking right by me. On campus, this has the potential to create serious safety hazards. What if a bicyclist is coming up behind someone whose headphones are blaring and they can’t hear the bicyclist say which side of the walkway they’re on? What if someone is crossing the street and can’t hear a driver honk their horn, or another pedestrian yell that a car is coming? It shouldn’t take a worst-case scenario like this actually happening to make people realize that it’s possible.

Even at the Career Fair, I saw someone dressed to impress potential employers, yet sporting earbuds. I was especially floored when I witnessed this person remove only one of their earbuds when they handed somebody a resume. I think everybody else’s chance of getting a job just went up.

Overall, this situation is simply another example of technology being used in excess. It’s great that we have the ability to indulge our musical taste buds at virtually any time and place, but does that really mean we should? Any time we rely on an electronic device to entertain us through every little part of our day, the more we lose a bit of our human selves. The problem is that it’s so easy to crank up the sound and shut yourself off from the world, but I promise that engaging in human interaction is much more rewarding.

As for me, feel free to stop me and strike up a conversation any time you see me walking around. I’m always up for it.