Human civilization has relied on technology for hundreds of thousands of years as we have shifted from the plow and wheel to motion-sensored lights to robots who can perform surgery. Technology in recent years has altered the world in unimaginable ways as it surrounds us almost everywhere we go in various forms. This boom came from consumers eagerly adapting, or rather simplifying, their lives to accustom to the newest device. As most people view technology as a positive tool in our lives, there are many negative aspects that come with it that are often overlooked. I have personally experienced both sides of technology — good and bad — however have ultimately concluded that the positives outweigh the negatives.

My first memories of technology include choosing one of my hundred German cassette stories as a young child and sliding it into my bulky, blue cassette/cd player, feeling excited to hear my favorite tales of a teenage witch come out of this box. Technology has advanced at rapid speeds and within years, Apple devices rose to popularity. I recall clutching my iPod Touch, feeling cool with freedom as a few taps of my fingers seemed to open up a world of opportunity to me. My elementary and middle school adapted to the growing world of technological devices as they implemented a computer class into our daily schedules to teach students to type properly and at a fast pace. While I dreaded my teacher shouting at us not to look down at the keyboard or peek beneath the blank key cover we put on, I sit here now grateful for my typing abilities and that my school had us begin these lessons at a young age. It feels impossible to predict what our expanding technological abilities will lead us as many could not even predict how far along we would be now. Technology has aided my learning and allowed me to connect with friends and family in Germany who are oceans away.

I recall growing up when my parent’s main punishment was taking away our beloved iPod Touches, or really any other technological device. My sister and I would scream and cry as we felt our prize possessions were being ripped away from us. I have bitter feelings towards technology for this very reason. We all cling to our devices, feeling lost without them and it is beyond unhealthy. Even though I dealt with mean girls cyberbullying me through an anonymous website known as, “Ask.fm”, I still felt like technology was my source of happiness and my life went to shambles when my parents took it from me. The internet changed the world as now people were allowed to mask their true selves as they hide behind a screen which allows access to virtually the entire world. This gives people the perfect opportunity to abuse technology and utilize it to put others down. Although I experienced this, I still came out of it feeling as though technology gave me opportunities and connections that I otherwise would not have. And personally, my county is a bubble and I sought an escape to a broader world platform.

As technology will continue to bring about unforeseen changes in our world, I hope that our society will have the ability to separate ourselves from technology, not relying on it, but instead embracing its advantages.