The internet has been around for a decently long time now but has continued to grow and become better. Without the internet who knows where society would stand today. Since the internet became such a big thing companies have started to create business’s around the idea of the internet. People like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs are three of the greatest minds to ever live. They have made such an incredible impact of what technology is and allowing access to the internet. Companies like Facebook who owns the rights to Instagram for example has shaped social media platforms with things like ads, sponsored pages, and many more.
When 2020 hit we all were planning on this year to be the best year yet. We quickly found out we were wrong. This world lost incredible young and popular rappers. We even lost in my opinion the world’s greatest mentor Kobe Bryant, but none of us were expecting to be locked in our houses for extensive periods of time. The day Covid-19 hit home for me was an annoying one. The rest of my senior year was gone. I can tell you I had no idea what to do. That’s when the internet became way more occurring in my life. I found myself becoming glued to my phone and computer for mostly every day. Applications like Snapchat, Tik-Tok, Instagram, and streaming services took my mind off the fact that I was stuck at home. Snapchat allowed for me to interact with friends. Tik-Tok and Instagram provided me with comedy. Streaming services brought me back to my childhood with Movies and shows like Star Wars, Avatar, and The Flash. Again, my mind would totally forget about quarantine and Covid-19. This was because of how much the internet has changed our society during the pandemic.
What are Apps? Apps is the abbreviation for application and an app is basically a program you can download onto your device. They can be games, social media, news networks, or cooking channels. Some of the most popular apps today are Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Snapchat, Tik-Tok, Facebook and Instagram. I have used Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ to stream all my favorite shows and movies from over the years which consisted of taking so much time out of my day because of this pandemic. I felt so stuck and bored inside but luckily those streaming services helped me take my mind off things. Also, like I stated earlier media apps like Snapchat, Tik-Tok, Facebook and Instagram played a huge role in my life during quarantine. Snapchat was used to take and send pictures to your close friends to show where you are and to take funny selfies. Tik-Tok was where all these people would make funny videos and they would fill me with laughter which I was missing since I was not able to hang out with my friends. Facebook now owns the right to Instagram but both apps. Facebook was the first ever Instagram. You basically would share your picture online and your friends would like them, and you would do the same thing back if they posted a picture. Instagram is what I use, and it performs just like Facebook.
Each one of these applications produces happiness in the eyes of many. This especially occurred during the quarantine this year. These apps made created a spark of light every day for me. Being stuck at home for me was hard. I am at Johns Hopkins to play Division 1 lacrosse. Lacrosse has been in my life since I was five years old. You can imagine how heartbroken I was to only have been able to play two games my senior year in high school because of Covid-19. With that part of my life gone for who knows how long I did not know what to do at all. My life became engulfed with just sitting around and not doing any activity because you would be afraid to go outside because you thought the virus was everywhere. he different platforms of social media and streaming services filled that big part of my life which to be totally honest is not the greatest thing for you. Starring at a screen is bad for you especially if you’re doing it for a long period of time. That’s one-way quarantine has hurt us but also its hurting our ability to socialize. Kids are becoming more socially awkward.
In conclusion, these applications have turned me into a different man today then what I was before quarantine. Streaming services were able to bring me back to my childhood. They brought some joy to my life during this crazy time. The social media platforms also brought so much to my life as well. The internet can affect your ability to socialize especially when you are locked up in your own house. Overall, the internet plays a huge role in both streaming services and social media.