Advantages of Cell Phones for Students

Cell phones are a popular form of communication in today's society, and in 2010, students of all ages own cell phones. Schools and colleges have different rules about cell phone use and possession during school hours, with the majority agreeing that they must be turned during class or banned from school all together to prevent them being a distraction. This is an ongoing debate because there are some benefits of students carrying cell phones when they are at school.

Cell phones provide a convenient and direct way for parents to contact their children when they are at school, and vice versa. For example, if a parent is going to be working late, he can contact his child via text message to let her know. Similarly, students can use their cell phones to let friends know they are running late or to ask them about homework they might have missed.

If a student falls ill or is in danger, it is beneficial to be carrying a cell phone so he can contact someone immediately. For example, if a student is walking home alone in the dark and feels unsafe, a cell phone will enable her to contact someone to pick her up and drive her home. Or if a student is badly injured at a sporting event, other students can call an ambulance or a doctor.

Cell phones are also a useful time-keeping tool. They allow students who don't have a watch to keep track of the time so they can be punctual to their lessons, and phones have an alarm function to make sure they wake up on time each morning. Cell phones also have a calendar feature that students can use to input homework assignments and important dates to remind them to keep on top of their school work.

Although cell phones could be disruptive during lessons if they were turned on, most phones have a silent feature that means they can be left on and fully functioning without the audio disturbing anyone.