Messenger

I have finally capitulated and subscribed to MSN Messenger.
This has revolutionalised my student life - and introduced me to a whole new form of communication I knew nothing about previously. It's fantastic to be able to talk to people - and has helped me to check information in lectures with people who actually understand the data crunching on the other side of the room.
And to plan social activities and shopping trips.
I have learnt pretty quickly though that you need to turn it to busy when you are otherwise occupied. Otherwise just as you are getting to the sticky point, grappling with the finer details of the marginal principle and coefficient correlation, someone can send you a message.
It is also a pretty clear indicator of how lectures are progressing. If the lecturer is losing us, MSN is the biggest signal. The names of my classmates pop up on the screen one after another. "Massimilliano has just signed in." "Hakan has just signed in." "Angie...." you get the picture.