EF#3 – Me and My Gadgets versus the World

Gadgets may push our beloved ones away (picture taken by Matthew G)

Bismillahirrahmaanirrahiim…

Nowadays, we cannot exclude the gadgets from our life because it can help us to do many tasks. Contacting our friends, browsing the internet, playing games, reading and processing documents, even taking pictures and composing music, can be done just by using a multi-function gadget in our hand. Because of its handiness and practicality, some of us may spend our time with gadget more than with other people.

As a gadget-user, let me share my personal experience to you.

Honestly, I do not have any sophisticated gadget for quite a long time. If a netbook is counted as gadget, I had my first gadget when I was 14. At that time, I entered a university in Padang and needed a notebook for finishing my assignments. My parents bought me a 10-inch netbook with 250 GB capacity of hard disk. Then, because I need to access the internet freely from my room, I bought a CDMA modem which could be set to unlimited monthly internet access. My life was completely great. I felt enough having a low-end cellular phone with simple features: calling, texting, radio, and VGA camera. Although my friends changed their phone into smartphone (Blackberry, and later, Android), I did not feel any urge to follow their path. It was okay for me to do not have any social media account except Facebook and Twitter because only those two which can be supported by my computer. My gadget-less life changed slightly at the end of 2013, when I have a phone which can be used to access the internet. Yet, I only used the phone to kill the time when I did not have someone to talk to.

But, everything was changed when the fire nation attacked.

On last February, my sister got her Bachelor of Medical Science. She needed a tablet computer to access the internet easily during her clerkship program in the hospital. It would be shameful if she could not answer the sudden questions from the senior doctors and (maybe) patients, while bringing a netbook and  a USB modem to the hospital is not practical at all. So, my mom bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 for her, and I did not ask anything at that time. I only wished for my thesis, so I could graduate soon and got a job to buy a tablet or smartphone for myself.

On May 15th, 2014, my parents, my sister, and me had lunch outside. That was a nice short holiday. After having lunch, we walked to a cellphone centre. My mom knows the manager well, and she asked him to show a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite to us. The Lite version does not have the front camera, but it was okay, as long as it can support my need for browsing the internet. She said that she would buy it for me. I could not hide my joyous smile at that time.

At the start, I was really confused. My sister taught me how to operate that gadget. She could not believe that I am a bit slow to comprehend the Android OS. Slowly but sure, I could use some popular apps, such as Instagram, Path, WhatsApp, WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Askfm. I made some new accounts and connect to my friends.

Days after that, I felt accustomed to my new life. Every information passed quickly, waited to be opened. Every message and status notification blinked frequently, waited for a response. Then, oops, the battery dried up and should be re-charged. I waited impatiently, as I would lost my new life rhythm without my gadget. I barely realized that I already turned into a gadget-addict. At home, I brought my gadget along with me, so my interactions with other family member was reduced, both in quantity and quality.

But, since I graduated and stayed at home for these two months, I have realized that those kind of lifestyle is not good for me and my social life. Being too depended on gadget will makes me more isolated, despite of my activity in social media. Thus, I have tried to be more involved in family activity by helping my parents at home and talking to them at their free time. I only checked my tablet when I needed it.

Now, my life is quite balanced, even though I am still trying to be consistent. At least, I do not spend my hours on using tablet as frequent as before.

In my opinion, having a gadget is not bad, using it is not worse. People do not need to throw it to a trash bin along with their practical lives. However, please use the gadget wisely. Do not be too depended on it.

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This post were written to fulfill the third challenge of English Friday: How Gadgets Affect Our Life.

Please share your opinion on the comment box :). I would be glad to know yours.