UC Berkeley Point of View
MP-Three questions: What are you listening to? Who's on your Most Played list? Why do you like your iPod?
BERKELEY – Every month or so, a NewsCenter reporter stops student passers-by on campus, asking for their Point of View on a topic of the day. But that task has become increasingly tough: it's hard to find a student who, in between classes, doesn't have her ears plugged with either a cell phone headset or the ubiquitous white buds. We decided to face the music and ask those listening to iPods and other MP3 devices what was playing, who was in heavy rotation, and what they like about their music player.
Unfortunately, in order to ask those questions, we had to resort to holding up a sign with "Quick iPod Survey" written on it … and still most people walked past pretending not to notice. As several students admit below, that's the beauty of the iPod: it lets you tune out the world, including pesky people with clipboards.
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'I'm listening to some Latin music: "Clandestino," by Manu Chao. Right now I'm into Interpol's "Song 7." My iPod isn't vital: it's a good excuse not to talk to people. It's great to be able to listen to music when I'm walking up the hill.' —Evan Valle, fourth-year integrative biology major. Hometown: San Francisco, Calif. |
| '"Twiggy Twiggy" by Pizzicato Five is what's playing
right now, but Oscar Peterson's "Days of Wine and Roses" is
one of my favorites on here. I love my iPod; it tunes everything
out and lets me concentrate. I wish I could have it surgically implanted.' —Tricia Powell, fourth-year
integrative biology major. Hometown: Huntington Beach,
Calif. |
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'I'm listening to Christian music: "Before
There Was Time," by Caedmon's Call. The iPod's on shuffle;
I don't have a favorite. I mostly use it when I'm walking
to class.' —John Song, fifth-year economics and legal studies major. Hometown: Torrance, Calif. |
| 'The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows." I'm into the Killers at the moment - "Mr. Brightside." My iPod means I don't have to hear my roommate moving about when I go to sleep. I also travel a lot, and it's great for that.' —Lucy Mott, third-year American Studies exchange student. Hometown: Burton-upon-Trent, England. |
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'"I'm Only Sleeping," by the Beatles. Picking
a favorite song is too tough; I have so many! I'd have to
look at my Most Played list on the computer. The Beatles
would be on there, and Death Cab for Cutie is an all-time
favorite band. I like the iPod because of the incredible
amount of music you can access. Also, I hate walking
to class, I hate walking period, and this makes it more
pleasant. My earbuds? The iPod ones broke: these are Sony,
which have better bass anyway.' —Steven Li, fourth-year math major. Hometown: Oakland, Calif. |
| 'I'd have to look: "Ring of Fire" by Social
Distortion is what's playing. I don't listen to mine all
the time, just whenever I feel like it. Mostly when I'm
walking.' —Sheena Patel, third-year
civil engineering major. Hometown: San Jose, Calif. |
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'Right now? "Wrap Your Arms Around Me," by
the Bare Naked Ladies. I'm listening to Ben Folds a lot.
Why do I like my iPod? Because it's just … cool. I use it
while studying, whenever. I have speakers, so I even use
it for an alarm clock.' —Robin Rothfeder, second-year environmental sciences major. Hometown: Sandy, Utah. |
| 'It's a song in French called "On
a Les Amours Qu'on Merite," by Chimène
Badi. She's probably my favorite right now, but that changes every two weeks.
I use my iPod mostly when I'm studying and walking, really
for any mode of transport.' —Abra Yeh, third-year English major. Hometown: Carpinteria, Calif. |
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