Cell-toting students keep connected with phones

By Catherine Ragsdale
The Collegian

If a person were to walk on Fresno State’s campus just as classes let out, that person would see a barrage of students flooding out of the buildings, many with cell phones attached to their ears.

“When I walk from my class to my office, I constantly see people on the benches [lining the walkway] on their cell phones,” said Aroldo Rodriguez, a Fresno State professor of psychology.

“My impression is that a cell phone more than a regular phone is used for conversations with no particular purpose,” said Rodriguez. “[Students] just chatting to chat.”

According to a recent national Verizon Wireless survey, Fresnans love to just chat. Fresno ranked eighth in number of calls made and received in a single month-ranking higher than major metropolitan areas like New York City, Chicago and San Francisco.

Fresno is considered by many to be more of an industry town rather than a college town, which could account for the large amount of calls made per month.

“Fresno is an agriculture-based community. I think a lot of calls are made between farmers and their workers,” said Stephen Colucci, a Verizon Wireless retail manager. “Nobody uses the two-way walkie talkies. Cell phones are much easier.”

According to the Census Bureau, Fresno has more college-aged students than San Francisco, which could account for the large amount of calls made.

Many Fresno State students believe the ranking could be caused by many out of city students calling back home to friends and family.

“A lot of people who live in Fresno that are students are not from Fresno,” Ken Wunderle, 20, said.

Wunderle is from Southampton, Pennsylvania.

Beulah Boyd, 27, believes many Fresno State students moved here late in high school or after high school with their families. One of her best friends that has already graduated from Fresno State moved back home to Sacramento. Boyd talks to her a few times a week.

“Many students moved here because of their families. Whether it is to call family, friends or acquaintances, Fresno State students want to stay in touch,” Boyd said.

Fresno State psychology professor Michael Botwin believes the ranking is surprising since Fresno isn’t a big commuting city where people are stuck in traffic.

John Pereira, 25, isn’t surprised at the ranking though. Pereira commutes to Fresno State from Lemoore four times a week. He doesn’t get stuck in traffic a lot, but the length of the drive can be unbearable.

“I drive over 30 miles to get to school Monday through Thursday,” said Pereira. “I talk a lot on my phone when I’m driving.”

Holly Northcross, 22, is from Fresno, but knows many of her friends commute in from places like Hanford, Madera and Visalia.

“We’re a city in the middle with the big university,” said Northcross. “When people are driving, there’s nothing else to do but call your friends.”

The majority of Fresno State students rely solely on their cell phone as communication to the outside world. Shaheen Nilchian, 24, said, “I think students are budget wise, and see the value in using only a cell phone rather than having both phones. Think about it. How many of your friends only have cell phones and no home number?”

Northcross and Wunderle also didn’t have home numbers.

Thomas Noriega, 22, and his two roommates have a land line. Noriega first admitted he didn’t know why they had a landline since everyone had cell phones and no one seemed to use the land line.

“Actually we need it to get into the gates at our apartment complex,” said Noriega. “The code is the last four digits of our home phone number.”

Whether the reason for the ranking is because of commuting, work or making out-of-city phone calls, the consensus is that Fresno State students like to talk.

“I’m on a family plan with my parents, but I never go over the minutes. There’s just nothing else to do in Fresno, but talk on your cell phone,” Northcross said.

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