A student's perspective on the iPad program after three weeks

My name is (name withheld), and I'm a senior at Hoffman Estates High School. Enrolling in a Consumer's Education course as a senior is never really a proud thing to admit, but this year is very different than I expected. 

I was never on board for this iPad program or whatever it is; in reality I still don't know what exactly it's called. When I first received the paper during the summer I was actually more angry at the fact that the board was spending money on another pointless program that the student body was just going to forget after a while.  I mean, I'm an old soul. I love big band jazz, hard candy, and suspenders and fedoras are a big enjoyment in my life, and with those qualities, technology doesn't really become a good friend. So having something so complex as an Apple product was more of a nightmare than a present. 

The very first day of school, something abruptly changed. Yes, of course, the possibility of goofing around with technology is always going to be a factor. Games, entertainment and other apps are widely available to anyone who has an Apple ID. Nevertheless, I was sitting in my first gym class - doing nothing, of course, because what is there to do on the first day of gym?- when I realized I could entertain myself with my new-found gift.  I started first with games, but I have never really been a gamer so I then switched to the camera and photo booth. Oh my - I could document my life though this. Maybe it was the fact that it was my senior year, but suddenly I was reminded of of all the possible memories I could make. That was the start of a lot of great adventures. As a musician, I also have the chance to record myself and get apps to improve my technical and intonation skills, as well as the chance to have the music I play with me any time of any day. 

Besides the extra-curricular stuff, it has also benefited me in my classes.  I am buying a house in Cons. Ed. and creating a budget using the iPad.  Even though I may never have the opportunity to buy a house, I now know how to do it using the latest technology.  It has also helped me in classes besides Cons. Ed. If I have any trouble with a word in AP Language class, I can just look up the definition. In AP Bio, I can investigate the reproductive cycle of termites, if it ever came up in class. Or the latest news in politics for Intro to Gov't. It's also a notebook, and the green thing about it is that it's paper free and easy to copy and paste if needed. Flashcards are now on an app instead of worrying about losing them or wasting money on going to Staples and buying them. My Vocab fiestas are now easier and more enjoyable with the flashcards being on them; it is a very efficient way to study them. 

I have become a tech-savvy old soul, and I still record my adventures of senior year whenever I get the chance I get to. The year has only began, and after only a month I dread the day I have to give this iPad up. The program has done more than just teaching me the course it was assigned to, but it has also benefited someone like me, and I have no doubt that it will benefit many other students where the possibilities of the Internet are limitless.