Final Blog Post: My Relationship With Technology

Most of the world today is glued to their phone with an unhealthy relationship with technology. However, I believe that I have a healthy relationship with technology. Most of the time when I use the internet, I use it as a tool for my academics or source of news. As a college student, I have a very busy schedule and don’t have much free time. When I do have free time, I will use it to play games on the New York Times. I like Wordle, The Mini, and Connections. These games are brain games and make me think outside of the box which can positively affect me. Sometimes I will scroll on social media and see what my friends are up to, whether that be my sister traveling abroad, my friends who go to different colleges, or things that are going on at home.  

The average college student has a screen time of 4-6 hours. My screen time statistics show that I also spend 4-6 hours daily. My top three apps are Instagram, Safari, and TikTok. I am a big procrastinator and I usually go on the internet to procrastinate. Since many apps are designed to be endless, I will occasionally find myself glued to my phone as these platforms show me content that is based on my interactions with other videos and showing me videos that spark my interest.

I am confident in saying that I do not believe everything I hear on the internet. I always make sure that the sources are reliable and fact-checked as I don’t want to consume and spread false information. False information has become a huge problem recently because many people will automatically believe what they read. 

I have no choice but to accept the society we live in because it's only going to get worse. I think about the world's relationship with technology almost every day. It scares me how much people rely on the Internet and social media. Many people these days are making a living from social media. This can be good for them however, they are at risk of focusing and caring too much about the number of followers, post interactions, likes, and comments which will cause them stress and anxiety. 

With the internet being so big, people are starting to become more lazy and less independent. Many people rely on the Internet to solve their problems. One of my biggest fears is AI as a whole. I am scared for our future as many college students are cheating from AI and not learning key concepts. Can I trust future professionals such as doctors and lawyers to help me if they possibly used a form of artificial intelligence to find answers or to get through school? I also worry about finding a job in the future because I think some careers will be eliminated. After all, AI can essentially do that position better and faster than humans. I worry that as a society we are going to lose human interaction because AI will be able to do so many things for people.

Unfortunately, I have to say that I am concerned with my family and friends’ relationship with technology. When I hang out with my friends, they will usually be on their phones instead of living in the moment. This makes me feel like I'm less important and overall makes me question my relationships. I don't think people realize how this can affect their relationships, communication, and interactions.

Technology plays a major role in my life. Technology gives me access to call my friends and family when I am away at college. I can’t imagine living in a world where communication involves writing letters and sending them by postal services. As someone who struggles with dyslexia, technology assists me with my writing through the use of spell check and various other grammar checkers.

If a future employer were to search me up online, they would hopefully get a good impression of who I am as a person. I am always cautious about my actions on social media, as it can essentially ruin my future. I have accounts on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and Snapchat. However, I only post on Instagram. My goal is to make my Instagram page match my personality. I am a fun, outgoing, optimistic, and adventurous person. By wearing bright-colored dresses, posting in scenic locations, and always having a smile on my face, I want everyone to see my true colors and values. As someone who always likes to stay positive, I try to keep my Instagram filled with positivity. 

When I search for myself online, my Facebook, LinkedIn and inactive Instagram account from middle school will pop up. You can also find many of my family members including my aunt, uncle, and sister. There will also be a TikTok account under my name, but it isn’t me. I am in the process of trying to get that account removed because the thought of it makes me squirm. You will also find my LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram as well as a GoFundMe page that I donated to for my friend's dog, and a news article that I was featured in.