To all of the centennials out there, do you ever miss the times when technology did not rule our lives? When you did not constantly check your number of followers or the number of likes you got on your latest post? I know I do, and if I were to bet, I am no the only one.

Our generation is one that experiences a sense of nostalgia when it comes to technology, unlike our parents, who grew up in a time where there was not instant access to technology. We grew up in a time where technological advancements occurred in rapid succession. We went from only having access to the internet and - is, to carrying around a computer the size of our palm on a daily basis. Our parents grew up without the instant gratification of Instagram likes or the constant comparison between themselves and their friends based on Facebook likes and Snapchat story views. However, the generation that comes after us is one that has been fully immersed in technology from the instant they were born. They do not know what it was like before Siri and Alexa, they do not know what a floppy disk is, and the only reason they know what 80's and 90's technology looks like is because its now hipster. They are constantly surrounded by pieces of technology, and the scary thing is they know how to use it. Three year olds walk around with iPad minis and can operate them better than some adults.

The drastic change in technological advancements that centennials grew up in the middle of creates a sense of longing for a simpler time. We all passed notes in class hoping if we were caught the teacher would be merciful and not read our note out loud to the class, but soon that turned into texting and hoping the teacher would not catch us and take our phones all together. We played with Barbies and toy cars. All of those simple objects are more meaningful to us now because of the rapid changes in technology. We are now surrounded by technology, all of us use it everyday. I am using it as I type this article on my laptop. Today, it is almost unavoidable to use some form of technology, unless someone purposefully tries. I know I most frequently use Snapchat, Instagram, my email, and, if I'm being honest, the Starbucksapp. I use Fitbit to track my steps and sleep, I use an e-reader when I do not have a hard back book on hand, and my cell phone usually ties everything together. All of this technology was created to bring the world closer together, and technology has made it easier for people to connect with each other, but I feel like it can still create a communication gap. There is a deficient amount of personality in technology that makes it difficult for intent and inflection to be communicated. People over analyze and retype responses to find the perfect thing to say, and that gets rid of the authenticity of human communication.

We need to find a balance between the advancements in technology and keeping our humanity before generations down the line are denied communication and a childhood full of simple memories. Our legacy is one of nostalgia, but it can also be one of self-reliance instead of one that acquiesced to the pull of technology.