iExamen 1

Alexa Giuliani

English 101

Dr. Ellis

September 24, 2013

Technology and Communication

            After completing the iExamen self-observation exercise, I learned many new things about myself as a person and the way I interact with others under specific circumstances. My ability to examine the way I communicate and interact with other during specific moments throughout a day enabled me to see how people change their body language, attitude, personality, and topic of conversation when conversing with others in specific situations, surroundings, or environments. Additionally, the lack of use of technology contributed to my findings as well. With taking an hour off of any technological devices, I was able to see my dependency on them as well as my inability to really get through conversations. While all of these findings seem very negative, I was able to realize how I interact differently with others and how the impact of technology changes my ability to communicate in different ways.

            As I started off my day of self- observance, I focused on the way I presented myself to different individuals. Unfortunately, I chose the day where I had just gone home from being sick. I presented myself to both my parents and grandma in an extremely different way than I did to my doctor, whom I visited shortly after my parents picked me up from school and brought me home. When I was with my mom and dad, I did not worry about what I was wearing or if I was talking to them in a confident manner. After all, I was sick and quite honestly did not want to be bothered with the 100 million questions my mom normally asks. As she asked me questions on the drive home, I responded with short, quiet answers and barely spoke up when she was talking to me. When I got home; however, and I was ordered to see the doctor, I made sure that I looked presentable and freshened up. Before I left the house, I made sure to change my outfit and fix my hair. Not only did I present myself differently when I was seeing the doctor, I also communicated differently. Unlike the way I was answering my mom’s questions in the car, I answered with confident long answers explaining to the doctor each and every one of my symptoms and what I had been feeling for the past week at school. Although this observation was something so small, I was able to see the difference in my actions and appearance when conversing and being around different people.

            Along with this exercise, taking an hour off of technology was pretty hard as well. In today’s society, it is not uncommon to see young kids and even adults with phones attached to their hands at all times. Just passing by me on campus or seeing me for a second, I can guarantee that I will be on my phone at each of those moments. My phone is almost like a security blanket for me. I have access to all of my information, emails, Facebook, Instagram, and not to mention, just glancing at my phone gets me out of A LOT of awkward situations. Taking an hour off; however, I was able to realize that I don’t need to have my phone on me at all times and don’t need to be checking it 24/7. While my family friends were over to check on how I was doing, I put my phone away and had a normal conversation with them without showing them something on my phone or looking at my phone while they were talking to me. I must admit, it was hard to hold full conversations without easing the awkwardness by looking at my phone, but after a while, I was able to just talk. I bonded with them about how their schoolwork was going and how they liked high school and middle school. Overall, the hour without technology, while hard to deal with, taught me a lot about myself and my communication skills. I realized how hard it can be for people to really hold genuine conversations; however, once you get comfortable, it isn’t all that bad.

            These exercises really taught me a lot about myself as a person and the way I communicate and associate with others. I was able to see how my body language and appearance changes when I am around certain people in certain situations. I was also able to see how different it is to communicate with others without the use of technological devices. After all, texting is extremely different than face to face contact. Overall, these exercises definitely taught me a lot about how people interact in today’s society and the effects of technology on how people communicate.