乐播传媒

The first two weeks of the year are nearly frenetic as clubs and organizations recruit new members, sports teams get underway, and professors lay out expectations and challenges.

And a lot of this happens as students plug into the 乐播传媒 network.

But what happens when students unplug? For that, we look back to the spring, when 14 students spent a stretch of time offline during their Short Term fieldwork in the Northern Rocky Mountains with geology professors Dyk Eusden ’80 and Genevi猫ve Robert.

Here鈥檚 what the 14 had to say about being unplugged. (Hint: they liked it.)

Owen Ahlborn 鈥�19

Physics major Owen Ahlborn 鈥�19 of Providence, R.I., read eight books. 鈥淚 really didn鈥檛 do much reading for pleasure before this, so it鈥檚 been sick to just cruise through a bunch of books and to have a bunch of time to do that.鈥�

His list included A Farewell to Arms, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Alive (about the 1972 plane that crashes in the Andes with a team of soccer players), Cooked (by Michael Pollan), The Martian, plus one 鈥渢hat I can鈥檛 remember right now.鈥�

Jake Atwood 鈥�19

Jake Atwood 鈥�19 of Natick, Mass., said he had experience going without his phone for extended periods. The Spanish and philosophy double major said that 鈥渋t鈥檚 really good to take a break from technology every once in a while and remember the other things that are important in life. I鈥檝e loved that about this trip.鈥�

Nick Barker 鈥�18

Environmental geology major Nick Barker 鈥�18 of Lancaster, N.H., said he rediscovered the fun of reading before bed. 鈥淎t 乐播传媒, we have so much required reading, so I don鈥檛 want to read before bed. I just want to sit in bed and relax.鈥�

Plus, he adds, 鈥済oing to bed when it鈥檚 dark and waking up when it鈥檚 light has been pretty cool.鈥�

Lindsey Beauregard 鈥�18

Lindsey Beauregard 鈥�18 of Hollis, N.H., said being offline meant 鈥渁 lot of face-to-face time with people and more time to reflect on what I want to pursue in the future.鈥� The value of those conversations confirmed why she鈥檚 鈥渁 big fan of not being obligated to check technology every day.鈥�

A neuroscience major, she did a lot of reading for pleasure, and it was 鈥渋nteresting to hear all the recommendations that people have and read their books.鈥� It鈥檚 given her an appreciation for “literature as art” instead of being 鈥渏ust what I can get from a story.鈥�

Jack Doyle 鈥�18

Geology major Jack Doyle 鈥�18 of Mendham, N.J., said that his phone broke so he鈥檇 be offline anyway. 鈥淚 actually really enjoyed it.鈥�

Adelae Durand 鈥�19

Adelae Durand 鈥�19 of Cumberland, R.I., said that her mom was kind of 鈥渇reaked out鈥� by not hearing from her. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 good to get into the wild and seclude yourself,鈥� said the neuroscience major. Although, she allowed, she was starting to miss home.

“It makes me wonder what my attachment to the news was all about back home.鈥�

Elise Emil 鈥�17

An environmental studies major from Washington, D.C., Elise Emil 鈥�17 said that she had been 鈥渁ddicted鈥� to news about the presidential race before the trip. That was before a data blackout at Craters of the Moon. Since then it had been two weeks, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 pretty nice to be detached. It makes me wonder what my attachment to the news was all about back home.鈥�

Danielle Fournier 鈥�18

Danielle Fournier 鈥�18, an economics major from Sugarland, Texas, said she 鈥渂roke out the hammock a lot more than I would at 乐播传媒. Then again, maybe not, since it鈥檚 Short Term.鈥�

She valued the time to read: 鈥淚 picked up a Walmart book for the first time, but I couldn鈥檛 tell you what it was.鈥� And she thinks everyone is 鈥渢alking about what we鈥檙e doing鈥� more than they would back on campus.

Ian Hillenbrand 鈥�17

Geology major Ian Hillenbrand 鈥�17 of Terrace Park, Ohio, said that 鈥減laying games, spending time with new friends, and having a communal experience without technology have been great.鈥�

Ashley Kulesza 鈥�18

Ashley Kulesza 鈥�18 of Great Falls., Va., valued spending time 鈥渞eading and journaling.” The geology and environmental studies double major said she “liked being outdoors with minimal distractions, and that includes technology and all that comes with it.鈥�

Sam Rickerich 鈥�18 said he read for pleasure more on the trip than he had the past four years.

Tess Miller 鈥�19

Tess Miller 鈥�19 of Santa Monica, Calif., liked doing more reading because 鈥淚鈥檓 an awful reader. Let鈥檚 hope I keep with it鈥� back home. Away from the screen, she learned 鈥渁 lot of random bird-watching stuff鈥� from professors Eusden and Robert, along with 鈥渒not-tying from other students and weird fun facts.鈥�

Sam Rickerich 鈥�18

Sam Rickerich 鈥�18 of York, Maine, said he read for pleasure more on the trip than he had the past four years. 鈥淔our books, maybe five,鈥� said the geology and mathematics double major: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, A Farewell to Arms, 鈥渟ome random book that Hazel [Cashman] gave me, and now I鈥檓 working on One Hundred Years of Solitude.鈥�

Sarah Stanley 鈥�16

Environmental studies and politics double major Sarah Stanley 鈥�16 of Springvale, Maine, was impressed by how 鈥渁 lot of people are powering through books, but me, I鈥檓 focused on the disc and the basketball鈥� 鈥� taking time to play hoops at the University of Western Montana early in the trip and to throw around the Frisbee at day鈥檚 end when they were at campgrounds later on.

Hazel Cashman 鈥�18

And finally, and out of alpha order because her comment is a good way to end, Hazel Cashman 鈥�18 of Bellingham, Wash., said it was good 鈥渘ot having to worry about things that I had convinced myself are important when I was back at 乐播传媒.鈥�

An anthropology and geology double major, she was surprised that she enjoyed 鈥渘ot having to keep up with all those social responsibilities because “it鈥檚 a lot of effort, you know?鈥�

Interviews by Josh Kuckens/乐播传媒 College.