I respect the "It's retro, stupid!" arguments, but I can't help but wonder if in this digital age of constant messaging (both via sms, but also via advertisements and a bombardment of information) the darkroom offers these students quiet concentration away from all the distractions. Surely taking out your illuminated phone in a darkroom is a "no-no", so maybe it's an excuse for them to disconnect, without having to tell their friends "I'm disconnecting," but rather "I'll be in the darkroom for awhile" (translated: "I b in dkrm").
I know I've started brewing beer, and I find that while a lot of it is mindless labour, it is an escape from all the digital activities I've been doing for so many years.