[DMEC] Essay Finalist: Digital Revolution
Teenagers of “Generation Y” know what they like. They know how to have fun. They know where to find friends. And they know things should be fast. “Generation Y” knows Digital Media.
Not only do these teenagers know it all, but they have it all. They listen to music on their own Walkmans. They watch movies on their own IPODs. They talk on their own cell phones.
Teenagers own the present, will control the future, and have free access to the past. Digital Media has improved the possible and done the impossible. This technology has taken the best and made it even better. Digital Media has shaped “Generation Y” and has revolutionized me.
In my primeval days, I lived a life without Digital Media. I did not listen to CDs, I did not play video games, and I rarely watched T.V. In fact, I had never even heard of DVDs or IPODs. I lived a life of contentment, but never truly realized what I was missing.
This realization finally came to me after I, a studious elementary student, had typed a long, long, long report, printed it off and lost it. Fortunately, I noticed that I could simply print it off again in the click of a button. I was saved not only time and effort, but complete humiliation from my peers. From this day forth, I was hooked into the idea of Digital Media. Eventually, forms of Digital Media have filled my life—CDs, Computer, Internet, Video games, DVDs, digital cameras, and the cell phone.
Compact Disc Player or simply CD Player? I prefer the latter. Most people never take the time to ask themselves this question, but almost everyone wonders what CD they should listen to next. Switchfoot or FFH? Teenagers listen to music and whether it is rock, country, Christian, or rap, nearly all of them listen to it by means of CD’s. This form of Digital Media fills my day from the moment I wake up. Every morning I hoist my weary body from my bed and turn on a CD. I listen as I shower, I listen as I drive, I listen while I work, and I listen while I, well…listen.
I listen to music and I listen in school, at least enough to realize that I have homework. As a student, the computer is not only a helpful tool, but a necessary component to my work habits. Since I am always on the run and have little time for homework, I need a way to complete my assignments quickly and effectively, with as few mistakes as possible. The computer allows me to be organized and neat, while allowing me the chance to change mistakes and critique my skills.
It is through the computer that I can have access to the Internet. Nearly all teenagers in “Generation Y” spend a great amount of time on the Internet. It can supply the needs of every type of person. For the competitive, there are online games. For the talkative, there are chat rooms. For the studious, there are search engines. The Internet connects the bridge between schools, between states, and even between countries. Often, teenagers talk through email and Instant Messaging. They enjoy posting their own attitudes, reading other opinions, and responding. Personally, I enjoy the art I can enjoy through the Internet. I can see famous historical paintings from a museum in France. I can hear a symphony orchestra from Germany. I can explore space and view galaxies beyond. Surfing the web is fast and enjoyable for “Generation Y” and anyone who has the drive to control a mouse.
Video games give teenagers, like me, the ability to control much more than a mouse. I can control animals, humans, even bizarre creatures. I can control their actions, the environment, and sometimes the time. Originally, players could only move the character around a plain screen. Now Video games are artistic and real with depth, shadows, and humanlike movements. Video games give players access to a completely new world, where they can be entertained with pleasure, evil, or adventure.
Technology has given way to another kind of entertainment--DVDs. DVDs are appealing to audiences of all ages. The older generation see them as improved video cassettes and the younger know nothing except them. DVDs are small and simple to use. They provide durable and reliable means to store favorite shows and clips. DVDs are enjoyable and because of their popularity, one of the most popular gifts.
Probably the most common gift is a cell phone. Just about everyone has, or has used a cell phone. Cell phones seem almost necessary when a teenager is busy. I enjoy the occasional excursion, but my family always wants to know where I am, who is with me, what I’m doing, and when I’ll be home. Cell phones make this stressful situation much simpler. No longer must people locate a pay phone, pay a charge, and wait until they get through. With cell phones, people can converse to nearly anyone in seconds with the effortless push of a button.
Technology and Digital Media make even easy things easier. Some of these things I have yet to use. EBooks are not as common as cell phones, but just as enjoyable. I love to read books, but sometimes it is difficult to find the time to go to the library, search for a book, and wait to check out a book I may not even be interested in. EBooks give busy people, like me, a way to quickly find a book, download it, and read it. EBooks make reading so simple that the reader does not even have to turn the page.
Simple. Durable. Access. Digital Media can be described by so many terms. It is helpful, enjoyable, and simple. As time passes, technology becomes more and more essential to the way of life. It has built bridges hundreds of miles long that can be crossed in mere seconds. It has combined speed, organization and information that provide answers to all questions and results to all searches. It has created things that we never thought would exist. In fact, things are still being created. There is now a new mobile phone from LG. With it, “you can watch, listen, and enjoy all your favorite multimedia contents and exchange e-mails without missing a single call.” The phone also contains a mega-pixel camera, an audio player, and an easy-to-use QWERTY keypad”!
Digital Media has started a revolution. It has revolutionized “Generation Y”. It is revolutionizing me. And it will continue to revolutionize the world!
Rebecca H. attends school in Belpre, Ohio. She enjoys reading, painting, singing, and eating. This essay was a finalist and received honorable mention for eloquence in the 2006 Global Kids Digital Media Essay Contest. For more information, please visit GlobalKids.org.
