From May 8 to August 13 this year I used only public internet access. My rational behind this was: it saves me money and since the energy is already being used I may as well take advantage of it.
Now this project had its ups and downs. During the majority of the week I used the Peter White Library's internet access, but because this was over the summer I went to a 3rd Street Bagel (a local coffee shop) on Sundays. This meant that I could only use the internet while these businesses were open. I had to sign a user's agreement every single time I signed onto the library's internet access that said I wouldn't be illegally downloading or looking up porn. Ironically the library would block some of my legal sites and would allow for porn popups, if only someone could explain that to me.
An unforeseen side effect of using only public internet access was that it created a hierarchy to what I got done. Fast email check, a momentary glimpse of Facebook and then job searching. At the beginning of the summer I would cruise around on Youtube but that stopped after an unfortunate incident with a very old man with no teeth who was very upset that I wouldn't go out with him. It became my mantra to get in and out with what I needed to get done in a timely manner.
There were some days that I didn't even bother going to use the internet, which is huge for someone of my generation who just graduated college. The internet is an integral part of a college students' life. It was almost like going cold turkey, with limiting myself to two hours maximum of internet a day.
It was hard getting a hold of people. For the vast majority of my friends, I don't have their phone numbers. I've always gotten a hold of them by way of Facebook and I didn't want to post my number online. But when it came to the Fourth of July, I didn't think about all my normal places being closed. And I was supposed to spend some part of the day with my friend Katrina. So the search began early that morning and eventually I remembered that Starbucks would've been my best chance. Score! After three coffee shops, walking in the insanely hot weather (the UP doesn't get that hot ever with that day being the only exception), one scratch on my car, Starbucks didn't let me down. And thank god I got in contact with people, spending the Fourth alone would've been depressing.
By doing this project I saved myself approximately $40 a month without having private internet, but I don't think I'll do this again at least for an extensive period of time. I couldn't watch any of the Olympics unless I was at the bar, I didn't feel comfortable checking my online bank accounts, my job searching efforts suffered and I really missed being able to chat on Facebook and Skype.
