'Millennials' lead the wired life

Friendster, MySpace and YouTube
In a timeline of development for these teens, besides the aforementioned technology, the major highlights would include: Internet based e-mail, laptops, portable gaming, blogging/vlogging/podcasting, Friendster, MySpace and YouTube.

Wachtel explains  how important it is to maintain that connectivity through MySpace.

“I was against havng a MySpace for a very, very long time. I claimed my house a ‘MySpace free zone’ for a while because I hated it when people came over and went on their MySpaces to send comments and what not. Then one of my best friends made me one without my consent and that is probably the only reason I have one today,” she said. “I wouldn’t consider myself one of the many ‘MySpace addicts’ who go on five times a day and compete for the amount of friends and constantly put up new pictures of themselves hoping people will think it’s cool and comment on it. I simply go on to keep in touch with people I hardly ever see or talk to.”

In Wachtel’s world, pocket electronic dictionaries and Donkey Kong racing with her older brother was the norm.  Now, she finds herself on the computer every night either typing up a report or doing research for a class. And in applying for colleges, she downloads applications and finds out about the schools online.

When Stefani Beser, 19, of Pikesville, Maryland, applied to colleges two years ago she did it all online, eventually ending up at the nearby Villa Julie College, where she is about to begin her sophomore year.

“I personally though it was easier,” she said. “With paperwork things get lost and ripped and you also have to deal with postage.”

Like Wachtel, she grew up with video games (a very early edition Gameboy), CD’s (her first one being No Doubt’s “Tragic Kingdom”) and always, a portable CD player. While she didn’t get her first cell phone until she was 15, her younger sister got one when she was 11 — a fact of how advanced and how necessary that particular piece of mobility has become.

It wasn’t until about third grade that Beser was introduced to the Internet by the school librarian.

“I remember at first wondering, how does this work, and it got to be where I can’t live without it,” Beser said. Like many people her age, she uses her computer for e-mail, IM’s, music, video watching, some blogging, Facebook and MySpace.”

For her, IM’ing is a means to an end. And parents, you might want to pay attention to what she’s saying as your students go back to school this fall.

“I also think cell phone bills can get expensive, so it’s easier to send a quick message,” she said. “With college friends split up all over the country, it’s saving you a lot of money and it’s still a conversation.”

From the cradle to college, this is a generation that’s not only emerged as one of the most tech efficient and adaptable, and more than ever, linked to peers learning and adapting the same way.

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