Not too long ago I came out from under the academic rock I had been under to find out that our culture has been subjected (willingly) to a massive zombie hype.  I was completely convinced that after the absence “2012 end of the world” scenario that this zombie fad would peacefully ride off into the sunset of our yesteryears.  I was wrong. 
With shows like “The Walking Dead,” a new Brad Pitt summer blockbuster “World War Z” and even local fun runs, zombies are inescapable (which is what makes them scary as hell, right?). 
Whether or not there are real zombies (minus those that trip on bath salts and gnaw off the faces of homeless men) the zombie apocalypse lives and feeds on our minds.
 Recently, I have noticed this zombie influence living in the students on this campus.  Living may be a stretch here because what it actually seems like is that people are dead but still functioning.  Dead to what?  Their surroundings.  The world. Nature. 
I see students walk from class to class completely immersed in something else than what is actually going on around them.  They cross engineering row in a hypnopompic state completely oblivious to motor vehicles, cyclists and life around them.  They could get hurt.
 This is a dangerous and serious affair we must address.  OK, maybe I am being a tad dramatic, but it is extremely annoying and disrespectful to other humans.  This ignorance to one’s surroundings even happens at the gym.  Students have these white cords stuffed in their ears as they kick, crunch and even run on the indoor track. Whatever happened to look both ways before you cross a road? 
Or always be on the lookout for a crazy driver who could accidentally put you in the hospital, unless it was of course the fault of the pedestrian stepping out into traffic thinking the world will stop for him or her?  When did we start to assume that the world happens around us and not to us?  I could have sworn Copernicus debunked that belief back in the 16th century… 
 I am not saying that we shouldn’t bite the bait our iPhones dangle in front of us as we walk to and fro on this large campus. 
I am just saying look up and around every five seconds or so. 
This makes us responsible for our own actions.  Accidents happen extremely fast (yes, I have seen someone get hit by a car on this campus) which is why we have a hard time seeing them. 
But we can increase our chances of safety and decrease the amount of “my bads” if we just pull our heads out of asses and look up a few more times.
Being aware of your surroundings really isn’t that hard.
Actually, your long walks will be a little more interesting as you can pay attention to the color change of the tree outside Paterson or the birds singing in the trees between Swalm and Mitchell.  
When you tune into the background noise to find a beautiful song hidden in the static, it’s a wonderful surprise.  You might look up to be met with an infectious smile from someone who is having a fantastic day. 
Our phones are fantastic pieces of technology and the ability to enjoy music is a gift, but we should not let things turn us into zombies. End rant.