After our last snowstorm, a thought stuck me after leaving a class in Thomas Building.

As I gazed down Shortlidge Road into a sea of bustling students, one stuck out like a sore thumb.

He was chatting on cell phone, as students often do in between classes. And he was battling the icy walkways, just like everyone else -- except he was swerving on a bike to avoid obstacles such as icy patches and other pedestrians.

As he came off the sidewalk, he almost collided with a bunch of other people and, heaven forbid, almost dropped his cell phone. Get serious.

Honestly, what is this world coming to?

How has going to class become more of a dodgeball game than a simple task? And why does it seem like more and more people's personal lives (and conversations) are infringing on other people's rights to get to class on time and in a somewhat peaceful manner?

I've been here for nearly four years now and never has this problem been as great as it is today. In our technologically-crazed world full of phones that take pictures and personal electronic data assistants that do more than a personal secretary ever could, I always wonder what gizmo will coming next and how it's going to help my life.

And then I think about how, perhaps, it is going to disrupt the lives of others.

It's tempting to multitask, especially now with all this technology at our fingertips. But somehow it's easy to be less efficient without realizing it.

And somehow, common courtesy seems to get overlooked amid the hustle and bustle of daily life. It's not just about courtesy for other people, but courtesy for yourself. By analyzing your choice to multitask before you do it, it will be a win-win situation.

Is it really that hard to take a few minutes to pull off to the side while walking to class to have a conversation if you're not keeping up with normal pace? You won't have to worry about bottlenecking traffic through the already difficult-to-navigate paths from the HUB-Robeson Center to Old Main.

Better yet, you won't have to be concerned that the kid behind you will hear your tales of drunken debauchery, estranged lovers or whatever weird conversations you have.

If time is really that much of an issue, at least try to keep up with traffic or stay to the side of the path instead of ambling aimlessly in the middle.

I'll be the first to admit that the need for speed and efficiency in life can be addicting. You're only in college for so long and there's only so much time to sleep, eat and party.

But when your need for efficiency is making you less efficient, pissing off way too many people or just flat out endangering the lives of others, maybe it's time to step back and make a change. And please, for everyone's safety (including your own) and to save yourself from an embarrassing accident, don't ride bikes and talk on cell phones. Especially during the winter when there's snow on the ground.