iPod: The newest, hippest accessory for music lovers, fashionistas and metrosexuals alike. This mini musical device has invaded our campus and conquered it, as illustrated by each white earphone-the iPod victory flag. Almost every other person you see walking to class is adorned with some form of this new apparatus.

The iPod is a trend that I eagerly conformed to this past summer. For the first few weeks of my iPod infancy I was enthralled with the music-holding capacity, sound quality and mod design of this invention. My favorite pastime was leaving one ear bud in my ear while holding the other like a microphone and jamming out to Avril Lavigne, pointing to passersby like they were my adoring fans.

Unfortunately, my excitement for my new hobby was shot down when I sang quite loudly to an elderly "fan" who proceeded to assault me with pepper spray before beating me with her walking stick.

For my own safety and also to avoid upsetting senior citizens, I decided to take a break from my iPod and instead observed my fellow pod users to learn how they evaded the wrath of old ladies armed with pepper spray.

What I observed was quite interesting. Since the invasion of the iPod, our campus has become incredibly dissocialized. This is not necessarily a negative thing; in fact I rather enjoy it. No longer do students stop on the sidewalk for drawn out conversations with their friends that block the flow of pedestrians walking to class. Instead, they simply give a silent nod to passing friends who are strangely understanding of the fact that their chum just chose to bypass social interaction with them in order to not have to interrupt their listening progress.

This observation led me to a very practical use of my iPod. Like many others, I can use my iPod as an excuse to not have to talk to people I don't want to talk to.

Sometimes I just carry around the earphones by themselves and simply pop the little white ear buds in so that I don't have to converse with annoying people whatsoever. It is the perfect solution for dealing with rude jerks, obnoxious people or your mother. Previously the iPod was a symbol of a music junkie, but now iPod is code for "I'm i-Gnoring you."

This is why iPod users are sometimes viewed as hoity-toity snobs, because generally that's what we are. Pod-ians move about on a separate level of society, like silent ghosts unaware of the chaos ensuing around us. Someone could have an arm or a leg violently chewed off by a pack of ravenous squirrels and a passerby would miss the entire incident solely because he or she was separated from humanity by two small ear pieces.

If social responsibility just isn't your thing, invest in an iPod.

-Valerie Willis is a professional writing sophomore. Her column appears every other Thursday. She can be reached at opinion@oudaily.com.
hello there & you too