Cote Briggs
ENG-110: English Composition
Professor Miller
April 2nd, 2024

Technology Isn’t All Fun & Games: Here’s Why
As we enter the new age of the Anthropocene, it is not far off to assume that most people are fully entrenched in the digital world. After all, the internet serves as a harmonious melody of intelligence, entertainment, and sociability: all available at the fingertips of the modern era. With all the potential for the advancement of the digital realm, it would be foolish not to capitalize upon this, right? I, myself, admit to an adherent relationship with tech. For much of my life, nestled within the deep pines of rural Maine’s forests, technology and social media played a substantial role in my pastimes. While I truly enjoyed the nature which encapsulated my hometown, there was not much communion for young folk. This held quite firmly throughout the remainder of my childhood, (to further attest to this fact, my graduating class embodied a total of 26 students), and while most of my small-town contemporaries focused on their niche cliques and social scenes, I found my solace online. Ultimately, it is quite easy to enter yourself into the digital realm, especially if the odds of reality do not prove very favorable. Such behavior– while technology may be seen as detrimental—allows us to focus and expand on other essential life skills.
With much transparency, my writing and comprehension would embody that of much austerity: assuming I hadn’t held any access to the online realm. Technology has enabled me to launch myself head-on into my studies, expanding as well as elevating the scope of my small-town education. It allowed me to pursue other opportunities, such as my dual-enrollment classes, my Medical Assistance internship, and to graduate in the top percentile of my class. Without the plethora of knowledge the internet provides, I wouldn’t have been able to sufficiently fuel my brain with the resources necessary to carry out these educational goals of mine. This is especially true, as my parents both have strenuous responsibilities of their own. In a way, the internet has served me—and continues to serve—as my intellectual partner as I explore its vast plethora of knowledge. As this knowledge is stored in the library between the Web’s networks, they also provide a convenient and organized method of recollecting such knowledge by name. If you want to investigate “Transcriptional Regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Budding Yeast)”, for example, it is not going to involve search results for migratory fish.
Not only does technology offer easier organization, but this also offers a way to be much more time efficient. For reference, opposed to flipping through the dictionary for a specific term or referring to a scholarly article, I can search up the desired word or text within seconds. This significantly adds to the effectiveness of my personal projects, overall increasing the efficacy of my composition. I can also organize and manage my time with online tools with services such as Google Calendars or Calendly to keep track of classes or schedule appointments, respectively. Lastly, utilizing interactive tech such as an iPad and Apple pencil to jot down and take notes increases the ability to organize and compose my notes all in one folder, without having to deal with jamming multiple papers in an organizer or needing to acquire another notebook on top of the one I already have. I’m able to expand my functionality, such as communicating with colleagues or emailing my professors while still maintaining the organizational structure I desire.
With much contentment, the web and social media also allowed me to communicate with like-minded individuals. As someone who is not very interested in traditionalized hobbies, such as sports, it was quite hard to make meaningful connections with those in my geographical radius. Even more so many of my peers had different views and beliefs than me—and I found it very hard to relate to people with such morals. Since many of the opportunities that are now offered in our world are mainly advertised through social media and the web, I was able to explore through social media platforms and supplementary academic programs advertised online, such as the Dirigo All-State Program for State Legislature. From this week-long program at Thomas College, I was able to connect with those with like-minded goals and aspirations. Those who had shared my sense of humor. I’ve also been able to gain my own friends throughout the web over the years, typically through online games or forum discussions. To this day, I still have plenty of engaging conversations through the web with both in person and online contacts.
While the internet and technology has allowed me to blossom in many more ways, I also can acknowledge the double-edged sword, so to speak, of this situation. As I began my collegiate pursuit, I found myself at first to be quite timid in real-world encounters. I initially wasn’t much of a conversation starter, and hoped others would approach me instead. This could have, however, been to the effect that I was just getting used to the collegiate experience—and that communication at a postsecondary institution was quite intimidating. However, I began to recognize the fault in this. If I wanted to make friends, much like I did before, I needed to attest to the same contentment as I had once before.
Now, with being in college and learning to give credence to myself, I can confidently state that I have an abundance of in person friends. I’ve been able to allow myself to branch and spread out—but this wasn’t always the case. In times of social isolation, technology had thrown me a lifeline for a very long time, granting me a level of contentment I would not have been able to uphold otherwise. I was also able to work on myself to a high caliber, craving a need for a heightened education and a sense of self-organization that would not have been otherwise imposed. Ultimately, the web serves as an integral part of our world; while it is important not to abuse this tool, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t embrace what it has to offer. With respect to oneself, the digital world serves as a favorable tool for both scholastic achievement and impactful discussion.