When she got to high school, there were typewriters she was able to use, but she said that they were only for kids in the commercial classes. She was in the academic classes, so they encouraged handwriting for students.

When my mom started school, my grandma said they were starting to improve technology, but not to the extent of how it is today. Computers finally started coming about in homes around the 1980s, which is when my mom was in her school's elementary division (she went to an All-Girls Catholic school in Greenwich Village, New York City). My mom said she didn't really start using them until high school and college, though, since they weren't super easy for the user to work with as a whole.

She told me about how when she was in high school, she was one of the only kids who enjoyed using a computer. She liked using them because she honestly hated reading. It's kind of ironic that she became an English teacher despite all that.

She switched majors about three times throughout college. She started as a math major, then went into piloting, and then the tragedy of 9/11 happened. She finally ended up switching to English, and this is when she really started using her computer consistently.

She told me a story about how she got mono and was out of school for months on and off. She typed her entire final paper, and went to turn it in, but since she wasn't in class every day her professor was angry and wanted her to take another year of college JUST for his class. Eventually, the dean got involved and my mom was able to pass on time, but she said that if she hadn't typed her paper, she probably would've never finished college on time.

I think this is super interesting as his older sister, because while I did grow up with technology, I wasn't surrounded the same way he was. I grew up with it because my parents both worked for Staples (Office Supply store) when I was young, and I would go to work with them and would be automatically exposed to tech. However, my brother grew up with it being inside the house, outside the house, and even at school!

My brother did say that he thinks technology has gotten better based on the tablets he's had in the past. He used to have a kids kindle fire, which broke super easily and couldn't handle much besides books and a couple games. However, he now has an iPad which he said he uses for school assignments sometimes, as well as certain games and activities.

Not only is he able to use his laptop to write stories and research the things he's interested in, but he even manages to design his own games! He said he makes them on Roblox, but the way he does this honestly amazes me. He downloads certain packs of stickers and PNGs on the internet, and then uploads them and makes them into three-dimensional, playable files. Then, he puts them into Roblox studio, which allows him to edit and add anything else that's cosmetic.

He has over a hundred Roblox followers who follow him just to play his games. As his sister, I am so proud of the skills he's learned on his OWN TIME! I think lockdown helped him learn these things, but as someone who grew up around computers but not being able to use them for everything, this is honestly awesome.