It’s clear that technology has a strong hold on college students. From the moment we check our Instagram in the morning to the last text we send at night, we are surrounded by endless content.
I often leave my dorm with headphones either on or in my bag. My walks to class wouldn’t be enjoyable without listening to a playlist that fits my mood or voice messages from friends about their lives. I also like to study with a celebrity podcast playing in the background rather than in silence.
Everywhere I look, I see other students walking around, eating, or working on their laptops, all while wearing headphones. We seem to prefer our own chosen sounds over the natural noise of campus life. In a shared college environment, headphones provide a little space of isolation that feels nice. It’s comforting to know that I can escape into my own audio world whenever I want. I can imagine being home or lost in a story, allowing everything around me to fade away. This kind of escape is important for my peace of mind.
However, there is a downside to this headphone trend on college campuses. Headphones are more than just tools for focus; they also let us choose when to engage with the world. While I don’t want to argue that technology is making students less social, it’s clear that wearing headphones makes it easier to avoid talking to others. Many of us, myself included, often choose to disconnect.
You may also notice that social norms have changed to accept this new way of college life. It’s now common to wear headphones while ordering coffee or sitting with classmates before a lecture. Places that used to be social hubs, like dorm lounges, cafeterias, and libraries, don’t feel as welcoming for interaction as they once did.
The more time we spend in our own little worlds, thinking only our own thoughts, the more we miss out on the bigger Cornell experience and what it means to be human. This doesn’t mean it’s bad to listen to your favorite podcasts or music on repeat, but constantly seeking entertainment can take away from important parts of campus life.
Sound is something that connects us — it helps bring people together through shared experiences. The songs we sing and dance to during college create bonds between generations, but the sounds of our college life go beyond just music. They include the unique noises of our daily lives on campus: the crunch of leaves in fall, the sound of rain on a library window, the creaking of desks, the flipping of pages, and the famous chimes of McGraw Tower. These sounds create a background to our memories that we will remember long after we leave. Ignoring these sounds, even if they can be annoying, takes away from the richness of our experiences that we can’t get back.
As I try to challenge myself in the future, I encourage readers to start listening: take off your headphones more often and notice the small, yet meaningful ways your daily life and connection to campus change. You might create a new routine on your way to class, start talking to a classmate, or make a new friend in the dining hall. No matter what happens, I’m sure we will all find great satisfaction in paying attention to the voices around us, even if it starts off quiet.