I remember it just like yesterday. The images are so clear and the pain and frustration I felt back then so real.
“This is a computer and not a television set”, my then computer teacher would say over and over again.
I knew all the parts, I knew all the generations of computers and their features heck I even knew the year each of them came into existence but I was so scared of operating this machine (computer).
I knew the theoretical part of learning about a computer as on paper it looked easy, super easy that I equated knowing how to operate the computer to other cheap subjects that I could ace without needing to read too much but I was wrong and I was reminded of that.
We were done with the theoretical part of our computer studies and it was time to go to the computer lab to practicalize all that we had been taught. Just like every other student I was excited, waiting for so long to finally operate a machine that I had heard so much about was such a delight, and nothing in the world mattered at that time.
The time came. Feeling super pumped I walked into the computer lab like I was born for that moment and I was ready to take my world by storm.
I was assigned a computer just like my other classmates. Smiling sheepishly I took my seat and was ready to practicalize all that I was taught. I was ready to bring my A-game or so I thought.
Throughout the process of learning about the computer system my teacher never told us that once we turned on the computer it was a whole new world, she didn’t tell us that in the new world, we were responsible for every action and that the cursor never stays at a place as it keeps running uncontrollably! For the very first time in my life as a little girl, I was completely helpless and I questioned my academic prowess. This seemingly small device was on the verge of making me go crazy.
I saw how many of my classmates handled the computer like it was no big deal but there I was chasing my cursor nonstop, pressing control “spoil” and calling out for help every minute, and getting laughed at by my classmates for seeing the computer as a “big monster”.
At some point, I couldn’t handle it anymore as I just couldn’t do anything with the computer as it was so hard for me.
It took a while before I could start using the computer, during this period I felt bad as I watched others enjoy themselves while operating the computer while I was in my little corner getting frustrated and wishing we didn’t have to learn the subject at all.
Over time, I began to get a hang of it courtesy of my friends who did their best to make me understand how the computer system worked, and how to use the mouse correctly without it running nonstop and leaving me.
I graduated from learning the basics to playing various games but Mavis Beacon was my favorite. I desperately wanted to learn how to type like a pro just the way I saw people on TV shows and movies type but too bad it was not just working as I was typing like a snail.
The funny part was that I could type pretty fast when playing the Mavis Beacon game but take me out of there and you’d be amazed at how slow I was.
The more I continued to explore every part of the computer system the more I began to understand how it worked and I stopped equating it to black magic like I earlier did😂
I can’t help but laugh out loud whenever I remember how I almost lost it because of a freaking computer!
All images are mine except otherwise stated.
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