It occurred to me as I sit in the 2nd Starbucks of the day that almost all of my day and indeed my entire life is now powered by the Web. Everything I do is connected, funded and enhanced by technology and the power the internet has given, and continues to give me.
Today I came to London for a meeting with a potential employer, the meeting was arranged over email, the ticket was booked & paid online and I found my way across the East-end to the office using my phone & Google Maps walking directions so I didn’t get lost.
Because my super-duper off-peak ticket means I technically can’t get on a train until 7.15 I’ve resorted to sitting in Starbucks all day, enjoying the free WiFi and catching up with months of missed Security Now podcasts on my phone.
On a deeper level the internet has completely changed my life, and without it I wouldn’t be where I am now, through the internet and all the wonderful things which I have learnt from it I now run a successful online business, run successful tech blogs and in the past month I have been offered 3 jobs, most of which have better pay than the average 19 year old can expect.
But, me being me that’s not enough, I want more and I want to enjoy it. I’m heading off to the University of Reading soon again, something which never would have, happened if it wasn’t for the web, and the people I have met through it.
The story behind why I am attending University, and indeed Reading University is all because of the people I have met online, and what they have inspired me to do, and how that has shaped everything.
In an indirect way, me going to University, becoming a Microsoft Student Partner and indeed choosing Reading University in an odd kind of way all comes down to 1 person, who I’ve only met once or twice in person. I met him many years ago on a webmaster forum, moving forward a few years we both follow each other and I notice he was getting involved with Microsoft and the Student Partner program. It seemed cool, and I wanted in too through that I was able to become a MSP and my online social circle exploded.
I met lots of awesome people, both those involved with Microsoft and other geeks on Twitter in Reading. This lead to me attending a few of the Reading Tweetups (#rdgtweetup). Again, I met a lot more people and fell in love with the Town of Reading, I love it and there are some great people there.
All this, from being the fat geek who sits in front of a computer all day…Awesome Job offers, awesome friends, and an even more exciting future. Not bad eh?