Interacting Online

The amount of online interaction has increased drastically over the past few years. When the internet started, I know I used it dial-up connection to play flash games online, which I could only do for 10 minutes at a time because when I was on the internet, our phone didn't work. Now, I have everything I've ever needed in the form of my iPhone. I use my Facebook to connect with family, I use my Twitter to say random thoughts to my friends, I use my Instagram to post pictures of how awesome my life is, and I use SnapChat to try and be funny. One app that I think has really exploded just over the past year is Tinder.

People used to poke fun at the idea of match.com or any other related website, but now almost every single young adult has this Tinder app. Almost all of my friends have been on a "Tinder date" and I've heard of instances where people even get married from meeting on the app. 10 years ago, this is something that never would have happened.

I think that people have become so reliant on their phones that it can take away from actual experiences. A couple of weeks ago, I went to a party where my friend left the dance floor to go to the side and spent 30 minutes editing a photo and posting it on Instagram rather than enjoying the night. Another time, I was with my friends in my living room and we all spent an entire hour playing Flappy Bird trying to beat our high scores.

With smart phones, it's become practically normal to always be staring at a screen. While we're typically on social media, the fact that everyone else is on it gives us a sense of belonging. 

A couple of weeks ago, I was with my friend and we were literally sitting next to each other when he started texting me. Although I thought it was a little weird at first, I quickly dismissed it because we were still communicating, even though it was through our phones rather than just opening our mouths.

Online interaction has become so normal that I think it can replace in-person interaction. Even now, I'm able to attend class even though I have mono because of Skype. The online world allows possibilities that would've been nonexistent before.