RAJA THIRU/Arizona Daily Wildcat Undeclared freshman Danny Overton works on his laptop in Cochise Hall last week. Doctors at Campus Health say that excessive Internet use can cause time management issues and result in stress.

Many students like to ride on the information superhighway, however, some just forget to get off.

Lindsay Brown, a pre-business freshman, said she uses the Internet to escape doing homework and only a quarter of her Internet time is productive.

"The other day I made a screen saver of pictures I found on the Internet," she said. "It was a waste of time."

Brown, like countless other UA students, is struggling to manage her Internet use.

While most students aren't clinically addicted to the Internet, some students do spend too much time on the 'Net, said Ken Marsh, director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Campus Health.

Usually an individual will come in with time management problems that may be Internet related, he said.

Brown is trying to manage and cut down her time spent on the Internet.

"I'm getting better," she said.

The major problem is when people start their day with the Internet and it delays the actual workday, Marsh said.

He recommends people earn the right to do some surfing by accomplishing some work and then going online to check sports scores and e-mail.

John Mizell is another student who cannot get enough of the Web.

"I am addicted to the Internet," said Mizell, a resident assistant at Cochise Residence Hall and an astronomy junior.

But this is both by choice and necessity, he added.

Mizell recalled the beginning of the year when the Internet did not work in his room.

"I wanted to kill someone," he said.

He estimates he spends about six hours a day online.

"I do a lot of communicating between myself, staff, my friends and family."

He said the Internet is used frequently to communicate with the Residence Hall Association and other organizations.

But not all students agree that the Internet causes time management problems.

While Brown is trying to cut down to one to two hours a day, Mike Stepp, a computer science graduate student, said the 10 hours a day he spends online doesn't get in the way.

The other day I made a screen saver of pictures that I found on the Internet. It was a waste of time. - Lindsay Brown pre-business freshman

Only 10 percent of his online time is productive, but it doesn't interfere with his studying or social life, he said.

Mizell and Stepp spend the bulk of their time communicating with others on the Internet.

Stepp mainly uses AOL Instant Messenger to talk to friends.

Many students actively use the Internet to keep from doing work.

"(The Internet) is my main way of getting out of homework," said Kari Shaffer, a journalism freshman.

Kristen Woods, an undecided freshman, agreed saying the amount of time she spends online, "depends on how much homework I'm trying to get out of."

Both estimated they spend three to four hours a day online.

Schaffer doesn't watch much TV, but said she's always on the computer.

"At least you look like you're doing something productive (on the computer)," Woods added.

Woods and Schaffer both said they were probably addicted to the Internet.

They also use AIM much of the time they're online, and Woods said she uses AIM instead of the phone.

Woods also said she has a problem shopping online and that ever since she got her debit card, she took part in three to four online shopping trips a week.

These students' habits don't necessarily make for clinical cases of Internet Addiction, sometimes known as IA.

An individual may have an Internet addiction if their online time detracts from their social life, their job, education or relationships, according to the Center for Online and Internet Addiction.

Danny Overton, a resident of Cochise Hall and undecided freshman, said he doesn't have time for the Internet, but did say his roommate spends a lot of time online.

Overton uses the Internet to talk to long-distance friends and family about 30 minutes a day, but he says his roommate talks to people more local than that. But Overton doesn't believe an Internet addiction is affecting his roommate's social life.

Internet addiction can also include cyber-sexual addiction, according to the Center for Online and Internet Addiction.

This can include viewing pornographic images and participating in adult chat rooms, according to the center.

Mizell estimates his residents spend about 50 percent of their online time looking at pornography.

Some individuals in the dorm also spend their online time playing video games, Overton said.

Many students play video games against each other inside the dorm network, he said.

Later at night when people are settling down, Mizell said he sees more residents at their desks in front of their computers.

Sometimes he encourages them to get out and do something else.

"As an RA, I'm obligated to create a sense of community," he said.

Sometimes, however, he encourages them to get on the computer and play multiplayer video games with other residents.

In that situation, he said, "We're encouraging Internet addictivity."