-
My dad was a Math and Computer Science Professor at West Virginia Institute of Technology (later WVU-IT). As a result, some of my earliest memories are in the computer lab. Dad would often bring home computers to work on, and I never remember having a time when there was not one, or more, computer at home. Since this was the 1980s, this was uncommon. I remember using the Apple II's at school and knowing what to do because of my dad.
Photographer unknown, in my parent's house. -
-
I played The Oregon Trail before 1992. This was the year of the only time I beat it. The Oregon Trail was so much fun for me, even though it was difficult. I realized my love for video games because of it. I begged my parents to buy it, and eventually, I got the newer, not as good and easier, Yukon Trail for Christmas. This was also a lesson in the original is the best.
Image from: https://www.newthinking.com/muller-marginalia/lessons-learned-from-the-oregon-trail -
I had used the internet at my father's office, but my life was changed when we got it at home. I would spend my time learning about anything and everything and probably seeing things I was too young to see. The internet was the Wild West in the 1990s. As a result, I wanted to learn everything about how the internet worked and learned to use HTML.
Photo from https://www.w3schools.com/html/html_intro.asp -
I taught myself HTML after we got home internet and published my very own website on the now-defunct GeoCities. This was a fan site for my favorite band at the time, and I featured my friends and family in my About section. I now cringe when I think of it.
Image from https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/geocities-before-the-internet-was-cool. -
When I was 19, I got my first cell phone. I had to beg and plead with my parents, but my car was older and not always reliable. I had 500 talk minutes monthly, but it was free after 9 pm. Texting and the Internet were not options. It was one of the infamous Nokia bricks. Those phones could outlast anything.
Image from: https://www.wired.com/2014/11/we-loved-you-once-nokia/ -
I joined social media via MySpace in 2005. I loved that I was able to connect with old friends and also use the skills I had taught myself in high school to make my profile unique.
Image from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myspace -
I took my first online class in 2009 while working on my Master of Arts in History. I would later get my Math Education Master of Arts entirely online. I am also working on my doctorate online.
-
I was not the first of my friends to get a smartphone, but I did not hold out. My husband and I got the HTC Evos at what felt like an incredible deal at the time. I think back on this first smartphone fondly and firmly believe this phone is why I am not a fan of iPhones. I am still Android today (I tried iPhone, 0/10).
Photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_Developer_Day -
In 2018, I was able to get an alternative certification so that I am now able to teach computer science.