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Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                Chris Elliott                        Robyn Morrow                  Johnny Peña
                                      Fabian Sifuentes              Kristen Young

Mamas don't let your babies use loans for iPods 

The new college pastime is no longer throwing back a few cold ones, but rather rocking one of the many selections of Apple iPods.

According to the latest biannual market research study performed by the New Jersey-based Student Monitor, the revolutionary portable music player has now surpassed beer drinking as the most "in" thing among undergraduate college students, The Associated Press reported.

With an iPod Nano draining the savings accounts of college students at $250 each, purchasing a six-pack of beer at about $6 per pack is definitely more advisable financially speaking. Nearly 73 percent of the 1,200 students surveyed who claimed iPods were the trendiest item this past year would have to disagree. Although iPods do deliver the joy of music, they are rather pricey and do not induce the carefree buzz that alcohol offers. 

Now the tell-tale sign of the "cool" crowd is the constant presence of the white headphones tucked inside so many students' heads. Heaven forbid students roam this campus with naked ears. Forget the kids who used to hang out in the parking lot behind the high school knocking back a few brews; that level of "coolness" is a thing of the past. Without a simple white wire hanging from your neck, no amount of alcohol can put you in the ranks of the popular or catch the eye of that hottie from history class. 

Besides, with the purchase of an iPod comes the ability to purchase incredible accessories, including a $178 Nano cover available from Coach. Now who would want to pass up the opportunity to blow his money on something as fiscally conservative as that?

Along with the iPod, Facebook.com, a social networking Web site, also topped the list of all-things trendy with 71 percent of students identifying it as being "in," the AP reported. 

This site, which can be used to solicit friends for alcohol-related adventures, tied beer drinking for the second spot beneath the ominous iPod.

So if it comes down to kicking back a few with friends or downloading music alone into the wee hours, we're afraid the latter is cooler, if not less detrimental to the health of your liver.