I visited the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (my alma mater) today.
In the late 1970's, "The Fishbowl" was a big glass-enclosed space where my classmates hung up notices about peace demonstrations and other assorted protests, and lounged to chat between classes. Today, the Fishbowl is a gargantuan computer lab, where hundreds of students feverishly pound on their keyboards, getting instant information from all over the world. It resembles a room full of teenage traders on crack. Each student has a unique ID on the campus network and is given a map of all the wifi spots on campus (99% of the area).
The building that used to contain "the mainframe" has been converted to something else. I used to drop off punchcards there. The next day, I picked up stacks of printouts. Campus technology was used mainly for processing information, not finding or distributing it.
If I wanted to talk to a person, I would just walk over to his dorm door and knock. The terms "im" and "text message" did not exist.
So, what does this all mean?
The Internet, laptops, global connections and instant gratification have become the norm...not just for the Class of 2010...but for me as well. Communication is faster, broader, more frequent (but not always higher-quality). Protests and human interaction still exist, but they've taken on new forms.
Sure, I felt sad when I saw that the Fishbowl as I knew it was gone. That's not the only change. Borders and Dominos (which both launched in Ann Arbor as single-store operations) are now national chains. And Xanadu, the bizarre and lawless co-op I lived in during sophomore year is now a sorority. In fact, I stopped by to look at it, and instead of being greeted on the porch by a stoned-out hairy dude, I encountered a guy in designer jeans with diamond studs in both ears. (Bling is the new beard.) "I lived here 30 years ago," I confessed. "The years have been good to you," he replied.
I suppose they have. As the world has moved rapidly forward, I've evolved along with it. I've traded in my Earth Shoes for Uggs, my bag phone for a Razr, my paper notebook for the metal kind, my Tab and cigarettes for soy. I've embraced the new speed of life and new ways to communicate. I don't mourn the past...I just take what I've learned and carry it with me to the next phase of life and business.
The Fishbowl and Xanadu will always be around...just different.
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