For those of us unlucky enough to be on campus this past weekend, there was a short timespan during which the internet just stopped working (apparently the DNS -servers crashed). This was a major hassle for those of us on campus. It also raises the question of our dependence on the internet and everything involving internet connections.
At Waterloo, not having internet can be an outright disaster. Everything, from assignments on ACE, to your JobMine interviews, suddenly comes crashing down. You can no longer research those random facts that make you seem so intelligent (anyone seen the recent xkcd?). Not having internet can also cut you off from your friends and family. Phones are useful, but they’re not nearly as wonderful as being able to talk to your family who are far away for hours without end on Skype for free. For everything that the internet offers, it’s become a great way to do almost everything.
Not having internet, however, is sometimes a blessing in disguise. Not having access to everything, from Facebook, to your MSN, can increase your productivity. If your friends can no longer get you online, you could find yourself with an emptier schedule free of random events. Most people find reasons for enjoying a break from the constant pull of the internet.
For some people, however, staying away from the internet is not a possibility. They not only find themselves spending more time than they plan for on games and discussion boards like we all do, but they also give up on their real life activities in favour of online ones. Instead of just using the internet as a medium to access work, events or friends in real life, the internet becomes a virtual substitute. These people suffer the same withdrawal effects as drug addicts.
Using the internet can be a pleasure, but removing its almost constant presence in our lives allows us to take a break and really enjoy what life has to offer. So next time you’re tempted to spend your hours of procrastination on reddit, please call your friends up instead and spend some time living in the real world.
Leave a Reply