"Happy New Year, TAKE A SHOT!"

The stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve is the most congested time for cell phone lines. At twelve o clock, of that time zone, hundreds of thousands of people place calls and pen text messages wishing their loved ones a happy new year. This surge in cell phone traffic clearly has an effect on service. Some cell phone services are completely shut down for hours due to the heavy traffic flow.

As a result of the heavy traffic flow and service shut down, many young people have begun a New Years Eve drinking game. The game is essentially a race. The rules require everyone involved to send a text message to someone else at the same party. The message of the text message is a command. This could range from a drinking instruction, to a request for the removal of clothing. The person who receives the text message within the first 15 minutes of the New Year must complete the task commanded to them. Everyone would like to see the person of their choosing complete the task they messaged, but not be subjected to the task they have been sent. This requires your cell phone service to be good, but not great.

It is amazing that a technological glitch can be transformed into a drinking game, and that people would actually be hoping for sub-par service on their cell phone. It is a testament though, to how enslaved we are to technology. The fact that people would delay their celebrations in order to hit send really says a lot about how tightly knit society is with technology.