According to CollegeData.com, the average cost of tuition (per semester) for a student was $9,650 at an in-state, public college. The average tuition for an out-of-state student was $24,930. That barely comes close to the $33,480 students pay at private institutions.
I DID THE MATH
It takes roughly 120 hours to earn your Bachelor's degrees. For a four year degree, it would cost $77,200 for the average student to complete school. That's just the minimum. CNBC reports that per semester, the average student pays $600 for textbooks. Not including lab books, reference books, goggles, coats, paper, pens, pencils, scan sheets, folders, ink, and whatever other materials a professor requires. Students pay THOUSANDS of dollars to attend the college/institution of THEIR CHOICE. So why would you spend all that money and all that time to TEXT IN CLASS?
HONESTLY
It's syllabus week. In my theater class today he explained at the beginning of class that he wanted absolutely no use of technology. I agree, it's disrespectful. We pay so much money a year to attend college and students basically waste it by staring at their phones for the hour and fifteen minutes that you have a day to actually retain information. I understand that it is an elective class. It may not be the exact class you wanted to take. Or it may be the requirement for your major. EITHER WAY, the professor deserves just as much attention as your mom would ask you at the dinner table. (Now if your parents didn't command your attention at the dinner table, then you've at least seen it in a movie.)
If you aren't going to do it for yourself or for your professor, do it for the guy or gal next to you that paid the same amount to attend that class. They may be enjoying the class or just trying to get through the hour without being disrespectful (like asked).
Back to my story, the chick beside me proceeded to pull out her iPhone mid-lecture and FaceTime someone! Now we couldn't hear the conversation, but in the dark classroom, the glow of her phone was enough to distract everyone. My seat being diagonal from hers, and I had a clear view of the bright screen. Additionally, I could here her responses. I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ENJOY THE CLASS! Plus, in my case, I had just gotten over the case that the girl behind me was typing away on her screen with obnoxiously long nails. To make everything worse, she was in the front row.
If you're going to text, talk, sleep, or skip class claim a back row chair. If you are going to do any of those things, that's all I can ask of you!
Now it was very clear on our instructor's face that he was very upset at the clear disrespect, an I was pretty upset myself. The class was dismissed shorty after, and we were yet AGAIN reminded to be off of our devices during the next class.
OVERALL,
I think as students it is our responsibility to follow the rules and be respectful during our times in class. We are the ones paying for it after all. It's not like we are forced to go to college.
