The Internet and I- From Entertainment to Necessary

I have to say I really don’t remember the first time specifically that I used the Internet. It would have to be over fifteen years ago, as I have been exposed to a computer ever since I can remember.

When i was younger, my dad's business revolved around computers, so there has never been a time in my life where there wasn't a computer in my house. He was also very technologically savvy. My mom at the time wasn’t very familiar with everything on the computer so I learned a lot of everything I know about the Internet from my dad.

Our first computer was a Dell, which seems so long ago to me now. Especially since every family member in my house now all have Macs. We’d use Internet Explorer to access the Internet instead of what we use now, Safari. I was the first of my friends at the time to have a computer and I remember some days after school we’d all come to my house and use my computer, under the supervision of a parent of course. Those were the days when AOL instant messenger, AIM, was the sole means of communication between friends when we weren’t together at school.

Even before those days though, I remember when my dad would come home from work and I would have him set me up on his computer so I could play games that I had heard of from watching my favorite television shows. For example, when I used to watch the Disney channel, there would be commercials about the Disney channels’ website and all of the fun activities that could be enjoyed there.  It would be my mine and my sisters reward for completing our homework, or a chore that we complete- getting to go on the computer for a half-hour or so to play games. The Internet was a sole means of entertainment and a “treat” as we weren’t allowed to spend too much time exploring it daily.  I never thought of the Internet as being an outlet for looking things up, communicating with friends, or downloading music. We would explore only the few sites we had heard from our friends and on TV. We’d play games, watch videos, and listen to music that my dad would already have on the computer.

Until now, thinking back on those days seem so surreal to me. From where I was then, in regards to my Internet knowledge, to where I am now is unbelievable.  Especially since the Internet to me now is almost necessary, whereas back then it was just for entertainment purposes. Where would I be without the Internet when I write papers, need to look up directions, or when I want to download a song I heard on the car radio? From sneaking on to Myspace on the school computers in middle school to actually utilizing Facebook and Twitter for a class grade, it has forever changed me.