My name is Silvia M. Chu. I am a Chinese Mandarin language instructor. This is my daily backpack. I shall start from left to right. There is a wallet, Air pods with a silicone carrot case, an acorn shaped portable speaker, a pen, an iPad, on top of the iPad there is a small snack Tupperware, a Nintendo Switch (video console), a cellphone, a planner, a SUBE card (transportation card), disinfecting wipes, a charger, a water bottle and backpack.
At a glance there are three digital technology items in my bag; cellphone, iPad and the Switch. Out of these three, the one I use most is the cellphone. I am constantly using my cellphone to check my email, chat with colleagues and friends, and even to check my assignment on the canvas App. I have to say that I use my cellphone 95% to text and 5% for actually voice calls. My iPad has almost the same functions. I carry it because most of my teaching material and books are digitalized, so there is no need to carry heavy books around. I could use my cellphone, but I prefer a bigger screen. As for the Nintendo Switch, is only for daily relaxing times so I can switch off from work and enjoy. The instructions in the games and dialogues among players are also in text, one would think that the message are delivered via audio, but they actually are reproduced in text for the players to read. Online gaming is another type of communication but it is through games and playing techniques rather than text. I realized that much of my communication, if possible, is done via message or text. For example, I prefer for others to send me a message rather than give me phone call.
The rest might not be considered digital technology items but I believe that there are somehow digital technology related. When I purchased all of these, each purchase provided me with a printed receipt. The planner, the AirPods, the speaker, the water bottle, the Tupperware, the backpack and the blue card were digitally designed and then printed on their respective mediums. My wallet carries my credit and debit card, and printed receipts for every transaction that I make when making purchases. There is the SUBE card, blue colored, which is my transportation card. It is linked to the public transport paying system. It is very similar to a debit card but only for public transport. The card has a unique number for each user, it is linked to the user’s national ID number should one chose to register the card online. Every time it use used it logs when and were I used it, leaving a digital footprint.
From the picture, I think it gives the impression that I like technology, because of my tech gadgets. Does having a planner and a pen gives me away of being somehow traditional? I like technology but at the same time I try to retain some of the old school traditions that I think we are losing these days.
Should it have been 15 years ago, I believe that the bag would have looked almost the same except for the iPad, Air Pods, the portable speaker, and an older version of my cellphone. In those days I would not have an iPad, that means that I would have been carrying books and folders instead.
If an archeologist found my bag centuries later, he might wonder why I carried an iPad and a cellphone, and still had a pen and planner in the same bag. I think that the first question he would ask is: Why does this person need pen and paper? I am assuming that the archeologist is from a time period where pen and paper is no longer being used. Maybe, I would give him the impression that I was going through a transition period.
Technology has made my life easier when it comes to printed materials, such as books and documents, because I no longer need to carry them around. However, I am still old school when it comes to writing down notes and reminders.