Technology has advanced greatly within the last 14 years. Texting, accessing the internet on your phone and apps now exist. One of the most important changes that have come with this technology advancement is social media.
Social media is defined as websites and applications used for social networking between users. These include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, YouTube and Tumblr, plus others. People all around the world use these websites to connect to their friends, family and sometimes even celebrities.
Senior Morgan Babcock is one person to have contacted a celebrity using Twitter and had the celebrity tweet them back.
This celebrity was New York Times bestselling author John Green, most known for Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars.
“I tweeted John Green and said I love him but he should stop killing off my favorite characters in his books. He tweeted me back ‘I’m sorry…’ I felt like the coolest person ever,” said Babcock.
Another student who has connected with a celebrity through social media is senior Katie Stahl.
Stahl contacted country singer Chase Rice, who co-wrote Florida Georgia Line’s hit single, Cruise.
“I met him at a concert and told him he should follow me on Instagram. He did and I followed him back and we talk on Twitter. Social media is often a source of entertainment but for some it’s more than that,” said Stahl.
Former PHS student Meika Lewellyn has used social media to stay connected with family and friends.
“When I went to North Dakota to stay with my uncle I didn’t have a phone, but I did have access to Facebook. I used Facebook to talk to my grandparents and sister while I was away, and also stay close to my friends,” said Lewellyn.
Not only have technological advancements broken through barriers to connect people who would otherwise have no way of talking to, such as people in the military, but it has also introduced people to something new: online television and movies.
Programs that provide streaming TV and movies include sites such as Hulu, Netflix, YouTube and Amazon. Streaming TV is basically where people watch TV shows on the internet.
According to The Zazoom Blog, finalists in the 2013 Cynopsis: Digital Model D Awards, the percentage of people ages 18-44 that do not own televisions is higher than the percentage that do. This is for a variety of reasons.
The main reason people watch online TV is for convenience. Math teacher Adam Stroud is someone who has taken advantage this.
“I watch Netflix because it is cheap and available everywhere,” said Stoud. “I also play online games because you can play with friends no matter where you or your friends are at.”
Technology advancement has brought society a lot of pleasures in the last ten years. Whether it be getting connected easier or for convince sakes, the world has taken advantage of these advancements to the fullest.
Story By Emma Walker
