Connecting with Others

It is 2013, and there are thousands of ways you can electronically communicate with people in your area or with people around the world. There are smart phones and tablets that enables you to connect to the internet; there are computers equipped with microphones and cameras for you to connect to actually see and hear and talk to the person on the other side of the world and; there are online chat rooms that can title you as anonymous or as your chosen username and allow you to talk to complete strangers (something mom always told us not to do); there are websites that allow you to post your ideas and thoughts and pictures and videos. I have used these sites. I have explored the web. Well, I haven’t entirely scoped the vastness of the World Wide Web. But I use it to voice myself. And journalism is one step to that.

The two social networking sites that I constantly check the second I turn on my computer are Twitter and Tumblr – mostly Tumblr. Yes, I do have a Facebook account, but I tend to stay away from that site; the nonsense I see there and the jealousy (yes, jealousy) that builds up in me annoys me greatly. I post pictures on Instagram; I blog and reblog various items on Tumblr; I vent my personal life in texts that must only be 140 characters long on Twitter. When I have an urge to post some of my creative writing, I post them on a site called Quotev; I have been recognized on there for my stories, but not by a lot of viewers. I do not post videos on Youtube, but I am an avid user. I tend to look for photos on Pinterest that would inspire me to draw. Now, I believe I just told you my cyber life, but not about how I connect with people. I’ll be honest; I don’t really talk to people online a lot. I’m the type that would rather be talked to first than start the conversation myself. The only people I talk to online on a daily basis are my two friends and my boyfriend. I am always on KIK with my boyfriend. Besides calling or seeing each other, I am always on KIK with my boyfriend. I rely a lot on online communication rather than the intimate communications. To my mom, that is bad.

Besides online communication, I am most comfortable with talking to people in person rather than on phone. It was during my summer job at my grandfather’s company where I had to manage the phone call orders that came in that I became more comfortable than usual with talking to people seriously on the phone. Being a fifteen year old and having to talk business with adults got me so scared at first – I was anxious of answering the phone as it began to ring – but after the following three days of work I became more confident with answering the phone calls. Speaking of phones, I’m very irresponsible with my own phone; I reply to text messages really late and tend to miss a lot of phone calls (but barely anyone calls me anyway; also, my phone is not a smart phone). My phone is just never really around me for me to check.

Nonetheless, I prefer talking to people face-to-face than anything else. I’d rather see my boyfriend in person than KIK him all evening. I’d rather be asked in person by my classmate about homework than on facebook. I’d rather talk to my grandparents at the dinner table in their cozy home in Boston than Skype them while I’m in Saipan. I’d rather talk to God in person than send him prayers that are not instantly replied to.

 Although I am terribly shy, I enjoy talking to people. I enjoy listening to what a person has to say. I enjoy watching the expressions on a person’s face and assuming their emotion by the tone of their voice. I'd rather listen to what people have to say than say what I have to say most of the time. I believe the advancement of technology is killing the intimate relationships we can have with other people. I wish I knew how to drive already so I can see the people I want to see. I wish I had money to buy a plane ticket to talk to the relatives I want to talk to. As for now I have the internet to help me with connecting with those I deem worthwhile to chat with.