As a cell phone owner and a high school student, I know how text messaging works. When I get to school every morning, I am quick to put my cell phone on "vibrate." I know that if my phone rings during class it will be taken away until my parent comes to the school and picks it up. At South Campus, the rules are just like at any other school. We can't have our phones on during class, and we can only use them between classes and during lunch until they become an issue.

That said, text messaging has became very popular. One reason is that cell phone companies offer unlimited texting plans, and this sometimes keeps people from talking on the phone and lowers phone bills. Personally, I don't like talking on the phone. There is always that one person that wants to sit on the phone with absolutely nothing to say. When this person does this I tell him/her "I'll just text you okay?" This saves minutes -- and the voice box of mad parents. Another reason is that it is easier to answer a text while in class than pick up your phone and say "hello."

Most teachers think cell phone use during school hours isn't a problem, but there's a lot most teachers don't know.

Some students have become very skilled at hiding their phones from teachers. Texting under desks, memorizing buttons and being able to text without looking at the phone are some ways to avoid teachers seeing and taking away students' cell phones. I've noticed this sneaky texting doesn't work for long periods of time, but it does work long enough to get messages sent.

I have heard plenty of excuses from my peers about why they don't wait until the end of class to use their phone. Most students have no idea why they can't wait. When we feel our phones vibrate we are quick to grab them and reply. I am one that also does this. If I know that I have a message and I don't read it, it will annoy me until I finally crumble and flip open my phone to read the message.

For students part, we wonder why the cell phone is such a big deal. Some teachers informed me that there have been disruptions and distractions in class, and cell phones have been used for very inappropriate things such as taking pictures in locker rooms.

Being a student myself, I have learned to turn the power on my phone completely off, the better to block out those pesky vibrations.

Emily Gowans is a senior at Tooele South High School.