<p>I don't really want to spend money on buying a cell phone for college- so, how important is having a cell phone?</p>
<p>I think it’s good to have in general for safety, like if you get stranded somewhere. Buy a pay-as-you-go phone if you want to save money and use it for emergencies only.</p>
<p>I think it’s very important. I only know 2 people that don’t have cell phones and I’m still in high school.</p>
<p>Important, I myself plan to have a cell phone in college.</p>
<p>I imagine that you can get a cheaper plan, or a pay as you go plan, that will be cheaper than phone service in your dorm (or apartment). It’s also much more useful…</p>
<p>I don’t think I know anyone that doesn’t have a cell phone in college.</p>
<p>It’s very important to have a cell phone. Emergency Alerts from your college are usually sent via text message to your cell phone as well as an emergency email to your laptop. I doubt that you’re going to lug your laptop around and powered up at all times. You are much more likely to carry a cell phone. When I say Emergency Alerts–think lockdowns, dangerous person at large on campus, emergency weather alerts, etc. You will also want a cell phone for safety reasons----911, ability to call a cab, or even to call someone to escort you from a night class back to your dorm.</p>
<p>I highly recommend a cell phone with an unlimited texting plan. Everyone seems to communicate through texts. The white board on the outside of a dorm room has become obsolete.</p>
<p>It’s about equivalent to having your own computer, as far as utility- you can get by without one, but it makes everything easier.</p>
<p>I got one spring of freshman year and never looked back. I might have to upgrade to a blackberry/iPhone in July when I start my rotations.</p>
<p>I’d bringing a cell phone with me for sure.</p>
<p>I don’t think you have to have a cell phone, but it just makes life so much easier. And really, it doesn’t cost that much.</p>
<p>I have a question though about cell phones:
When you guys went away to college, did you keep the phone you had, even if that means that the area code was like totally wacky in the place you went to?</p>
<p>Oh, and is it somehow more expensive? Like to use a cell phone service which you bought in a different place in the country?</p>
<p>yeah everyone has totally different area codes bc you just bring w/e phone u have at the moment, but that is wat speed dial is for!</p>
<p>I don’t think I could live without my cell phone. It’s like a part of me. I read the WSJ on it, check the weather, call people, text people, it’s just impossible to think about NOT having one.</p>
<p>KoreanBoi, I think this is very different from high school. I didn’t have a cell phone in high school, and if I could go back with my mindset now, I still wouldn’t.</p>
<p>In college, I think it’s important at the very least for emergencies. Like, if you get stranded somewhere and need to call a cab, need to call a friend/parent for whatever reason, etc. And like someone said, universities do send out emergency text alerts, so it’s important for that.</p>
<p>When I first started college I got my first phone, a Tracfone, pay as you go. I ended up using it way more than I thought for calling back home, friends, texting, etc., so I got a plan this January, and it’s been so much cheaper. If you don’t want to go full force right away with a plan and such, get a pay as you go phone, especially if you don’t plan on making many long distance calls/texting a lot a month. Net 10 is really good for that, and they have nice, cheap, functional, and pretty damn durable phones. My brother has it, and it gets great service as well. Tracfones are only worth it if you get double minutes, to me. Pay as you go like At&t, Verizon, etc., aren’t worth it either, in my opinion, but they might have changed their rates since I last looked.</p>
<p>You don’t need all the things people are telling you about, like internet on your phone, and you’re probably not going to text enough to warrant unlimited (why pay for what you don’t use), or whatever. As long as you have something to text with and make calls, you’ll be fine. You need at least that. And if you decide you’re using it a lot and want to upgrade to a plan because it’s cheaper, then you didn’t waste much money on the pay as you go phone. I know I don’t regret the way I did things. Plus it gave me time to build my credit so I didn’t have to pay a $400 deposit.</p>
<p>So basically, it’s pretty important, and you need at least a pay as you go phone. It depends on the person what kind of phone and features you get, but there’s no need to go full force and get a plan, fancy phone, etc., with a two year contract when you don’t know how much you’ll be using it.</p>
<p>i use a pigeon to deliver text messages to my friends, saves a lot of money this way</p>
<p>^Seriously? For most people, the only thing they’re really vital for is emergencies. Otherwise it’s just convenient, unless it is your only phone, but for high schoolers and below, it’s probably not. I mean, I don’t need to tell my friend this second that, I don’t know, I got a raise or a good grade or blah blah blah. I could wait until I see them in person, or talk to them on the computer, have time to call them later, etc. You just can so you do.</p>
<p>Sorry, but kids in my city, many get phones 7th/8th grades.</p>
<p>I can’t picture it quite right,lol.</p>
<p>How would ANYONE be able to live without one??? My 7yo cousin just got a blackberry and she is just dependent on it! I, myself, panik if i dont have my phone with me! Its like, my laptop, without all the work. Its absolutley necesarry. Everyone texts, so yeah… Emergency calls? Cab? all valid reasons. just get one. its a wise invvestment. its basically your life, and its pretty cheap with a plan. My bill is like $69 with unlimited text (i rarely make phone calls so i have like a billion rollover minutes!). what is that, $840 dollars a year? just cut back on things like, unnecesarry drinking or something.</p>
<p>
rofl .</p>
<p>Thanks guys! Yeah, I’m definitely going to get a cell now- I think its about time anyway. I’m hoping to get a hot pink one!</p>
<p>I use paper cups connected with string. International calls are hell to set up.</p>
<p>I don’t know how the hell you made it this far without one.</p>
<p>It is the absolute KEY to any active social life.</p>