Moderating the Internet

I, like most other young adults of our time, am addicted to the internet.  However, during this past summer I had an experience that is very unlike those of other youth - I went two months without internet.  'Why,' you may ask, 'did she not have internet for two months?  Was her internet "broken"?  Was it of her own accord?'  Don't worry dear reader, if you can manage to stay on the internet for long enough, all your questions will be answered.

You see, my two months without internet also happened (not at all coincidentally) to be the two months that I was volunteering at a camp.  This camp was out in the middle of nowhere in Illinois, and although there was internet there, I did not have a device that would allow me to use it.  At first I thought, 'Oh crap.  I've spent all my time on the internet since I got out of school for the summer.  The night before I went to camp I spent pulling an all-nighter thanks to the world wide web!  How am I going to deal with going cold turkey?  Will the withdrawal be horrible?  Will I get the shakes?  Will I not be able to function because of the lack of memes?'  However, after the first few days, I realized that it was lovely!  I never wanted to go back to the time-sucking, procrastination inducing, short attention-span creating internet!  I wanted to frolic through the meadows, wander through the woods, and dive into the lake on the camp grounds!  (Although, if I did that I would've gotten dirt and ticks and leeches and other little critters everywhere, so I refrained.)  I loved being free!  I never wanted to go back!  Screw the internet!!!

A view of the lake.  This picture does not do the camp's beauty justice.

After a month or so, I started feeling the effects of being off-screen for so long.  Instead of having fun with the campers, my thoughts would wander to such questions as "When will I get home and back to my darling computer and the lovely internet that accompanies it?"  How I longed to see the screen light up when I opened it, or hear it make the 'wake up' noise, or curse the spacebar for sticking when I pressed it because of the apple juice I spilled on it long ago?

I tried to control myself, I really did!  But as soon as I got home (after the obligatory 'Hello's and 'It was great's to my family, of course) I went straight to my room and opened up my laptop.  I spent that whole night messing around on the internet, and most of the next day to!

After a while, however, I let up and remembered how much I had resented the internet at the beginning of the summer.  The internet is truly great, it allows us to do many things that would not be possible otherwise.  Thanks to the world wide web I can apply to work at camp, keep in touch with friends from there, and learn when the staff reunion is so much faster and easier than without it.  However, if I don't watch out, it'll take over my life.  This summer I realized the truth of Oscar Wilde's famous quote:

"Everything in moderation, including moderation."

Of Theatre, Shorts, and Sugar

As you can probably tell by the title of this blog, it will be mostly comprised of me talking about whatever I feel like talking about.  Sadly, I do not have a cool theme or anything, it'll just be me... being me.  'But, who are you?' you may ask.  Well, let me tell you.

The most basic info you need to know about me (or probably already do) is that my name is Ella Lubienski, I am sixteen, and I'm currently a junior at Uni High in Urbana.  Within the first five minutes of meeting me, you will most likely learn that I love the dramatic arts (theatre and film) and sugar. I find it incredibly important to wear shorts under skirts and dresses, as all my good friends (or people who have been near me when I am wearing a skirt or dress) quickly find out.  You never know when you will feel like doing a cartwheel.  Also, it is one of the funniest things to see peoples faces when you do something crazy while wearing a skirt or dress, and they don't realize that you are also wearing shorts.  It cracks me up every time (especially if I have recently had sugar).

If you can't already tell, I am a slightly energetic individual.  This is especially important when I do theatre, because it requires a lot of energy.  Contrary to popular belief, my energy levels do not usually correspond with the amount of my sugar intake.  I usually feed off of other people's adrenaline - or lack thereof.  In fact, I don't get as much sugar or caffeine as the average American teen because I don't drink any pop since the fizz hurts my tongue.

So, now you know at least a bit about me so you won't be completely confused when I start talking about theatre more than anyone else you've ever met.  Or when I seem slightly hyper... or when I start doing cartwheels in a skirt...