SDSU Collegian

Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: News

Media Credit: Travis Entenman In a survey by the Mars Corporation, 63 percent of the students questioned would choose to go a week without their significant other before they would go a week without technology. SDSU students answered differently.

In today's digital age, many students use technology on a daily basis. Trying to imagine what life would be like without a cell phone, computer, Internet or television is almost impossible.

College students, both at SDSU and across the nation, were asked to choose between these daily technology devices and their significant other.

The Mars Corporation recently surveyed college students across the nation asking them this very question. The results of their survey showed that nearly two out of three students (63 percent) would rather give up a significant other than have to live without technology for seven days.

In a focus group of ten SDSU students, all ten interviewees said they would choose a significant other over technology. These results varied greatly from the results of the Mars Corporation's survey, which came as a shock to some SDSU students.

"Oh, no doubt in my mind," Bobby Oleson, senior sociology major, said. "I'd definitely give up all technology for a week."

Oleson said that doing certain homework assignments would be difficult without a computer or Internet, but that the benefits of a good relationship far outweigh being temporarily deprived of technology.

"A relationship takes time and it won't nurture itself," Oleson said. "Technology can be left alone for a long time and (be) completely fine. My computer isn't going to call me and tell me to spend time with it if I don't see it for a couple days."

Sydney Meyer, freshman undeclared major, had similar opinions on the matter.

"You can't confide in a computer like you could your significant other," Meyer said. "I would rather go without technology because a relationship is more important."

Just like Oleson and Meyer, Jamie DuVall, junior human development and family studies major, would also pick a relationship over technology.

"I would never give up my significant other, even for a week," Duvall said. "The technological things I use are just 'things.'"

Continued...

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