Friday, April 25, 2025

Blog #12: Final Post

Technology is both a tool and a weapon. As Professor Smith said, cell phones are one of humanity’s greatest inventions. Personally, I see technology as a helpful tool in my life but when I look at society as a whole, I can also see how it’s become damaging.
Technology has reshaped every aspect of life, often in ways we don’t even notice. Before it, misinformation wasn’t so widespread, childhoods felt more meaningful, dating was more genuine, and success was earned purely through hard work, not AI. These shifts are just a few of many and in this reflection, I want to explore my relationship with technology and get into how it’s impacted what childhood means today.
My phone and laptop are a major part of my daily life and I’d say I’ve built a pretty healthy relationship with them both. Although, I can recognize it wasn’t always this way. With any tool in life, I had to learn how to use them in a way that benefited me rather than controlled me. I rely on them for school, communication, and work and in today’s world, succeeding in these areas without the use of tech is nearly impossible.
It’s ironic how older generations often criticize Gen Z for being so dependent on technology, yet they’re the ones who digitized education and expect immediate responses to texts and calls. Life today simply can’t function without tech and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it is just something that needs to be understood and balanced. There's a big difference between using your laptop to complete an assignment and spending the whole day watching YouTube in bed.
In fact, technology helped me find my passion. As a Strategic Communications major with a minor in graphic design and social media, I’m pursuing a career that wouldn’t even exist without technology. I didn’t discover my love for graphic design until I started making sports graphics in high school and suddenly, everything clicked for me. That passion for digital creations has opened doors for me, brought incredible people into my life and given me direction I never had before and for that, I’m incredibly grateful technology has grown the way it has.
Despite this, I won’t pretend I’ve always used tech for good. I’ve wasted hours mindlessly scrolling, compared myself to people online and let social media affect my mindset. Only recently, I’ve made a conscious effort to be more mindful and put my phone down to enjoy a walk, be more present with friends or simply live in the moment. Those small choices have made a huge impact on my mental health and helped me build a healthier relationship with my devices.
Even though my experience with tech is positive, I can’t ignore how damaging tech has become for many others. When I think back on my childhood, my best memories aren’t of screens, they’re of playing outside with my siblings and neighbors, riding bikes, and knocking on doors to see which of my friends wanted to hang out. Today, that world feels like it's fading and I hardly see kids outside anymore. “iPad kids” have become the norm and it’s heartbreaking to think that so many children won’t have the same kind of playful, imaginative experiences I did.
One of my biggest dreams is to be a mother, and when that time comes, I want my kids to have the kind of childhood I did and will cherish forever. Yes, they’ll have access to tech, but it won’t define their lives and I’ll teach them balance. The dinner table won’t be for screens, and no cartoon can compare to the adventures you create yourself in the backyard. It’s up to us to shift the narrative, to help future generations build healthier relationships with technology and bring meaning back to childhood.
I’m grateful for what technology has brought into my life, but even more thankful that I’ve learned how to use it for good. For the rest of my life, I’ll do my best to help others do the same.

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Blog #12: Final Post

Technology is both a tool and a weapon. As Professor Smith said, cell phones are one of humanity’s greatest inventions. Personally, I see te...