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NEWPORT — While phones have been around for years, the smartphone has brought new technological advancements for the good or, depending on your perspective, the notso- good. These advancements include sending pictures, and sending and receiving messages almost instantly.
From adults to teenagers, texting has become a new habit. On the good side, being able to communicate quickly has many advantages, from getting help to socializing.
“iPhones can help you a lot by the fact of calling the police if there is someone or something is in danger,” says Savannah Garris, a junior at Newport High School. “And parents could see where you are at all times.”
On the negative side, some people see texting as taking the place of in-person socializing. It is also far easier to bully and say negative things about someone over text than in person.
Phones can also be distracting in classrooms. Some school districts have banned cell phones in classes.
“When students are on their phones during class, it can be a distraction for them and the students that are sitting near them,” says Sarah Noble, a math teacher at Newport High School.
While texting is a general task, every age does it a little differently.
While teenagers or younger audiences type away, many insist that capitalization and punctuation are not needed in a simple text message and tend to abbreviate whatever possible.
As people get older, their need to text dwindles. They begin to text without abbreviations, as well as with more meaning. Kasey St. Andre, a sophomore at NHS, says there are differences between teens and adults when it comes to texting.
“I think it all comes down to teens being able to text from a young age, while most adults are still learning,” she says. “Adults feel more comfortable with calls since they simulate real life and they aren’t as accustomed to typing. They struggle to convey information through text and tend to leave out emotion or fluency in their texts.”
Most children receive their first phones by the age of 10, giving them plenty of time to get used to communicating by text. Cordless phones did not come out until 1980 and later. Most of today’s adults grew up with a landline telephone. They likely started texting on flip phones.
The first iPhone however came out in early June of 2007, the middle years of Generation Z, now the world’s teenagers. Adults in the world today have smartphones and are still learning how to properly text on them.
Young texters use exclamation points often in their text messages, which leaves people wondering, why do people use exclamation points, and could it be impolite not to use them?
Most if not all teens use exclamation points in text messages to communicate excitement, glee or overall happiness to their receiver.
In the end, people have their own way or style of texting. What’s important is that communication and the ability to call for help at any moment is at our fingertips. You can accomplish what you have set out to do whether it was to get a ride, get help or spark a conversation.
AURELIA JOHNSON IS A SOPHOMORE AT NEWPORT HIGH SCHOOL. IF YOU ARE A YOUNG PERSON WITH A STORY IDEA, CONTACT DON GRONNING AT [email protected].
