A Guide to the Internet for First Year Female Penn State Altoona Students :: Internet Process Essays

A Guide to the Internet for First Year Female Penn State Altoona Students Logging onto the Internet for the first time can be overwhelming. Moving away to college as a freshman, male or female, can also be extremely overwhelming. Although most of us have had experience with using the Internet before entering college, for some young women both of these experiences come along all at once. The purpose of this booklet is to help first year college women at Penn State Altoona have a better understanding of a few concepts regarding the Internet. SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERNET USE Use gender-neutral screen names and user identification names as an easy way to avoid unwanted interactions. For example, use your user id that Penn State assigns to you. Mine is aes215, which, as you can see, does not indicate whether aes is male or female. This allows you to complete work undistracted by messages and information unrelated to your sex. Don’t use, hotchick85 for a user id. This apparently attracts unwanted advances from the opposite sex. Display only necessary information on online profiles that can be seen by the public. For example, use only a first initial with your last name. Don’t have your telephone number and address readily available to anyone who can view your profile. This is asking for advances from men who are searching for that specific criterion. Take some courses, either privately or from Penn State, to expand your knowledge of how the Internet works. If you are unfamiliar with the way Penn State’s network operates, ask for help to learn the basics. After you learn the basics everything else will come much easier to you. It will take some work, but you will know how to navigate the necessary applications that all Penn State students must use at one point or another. Try to limit your time on the Internet and computer as well, especially when you are first learning how to navigate the programs. Take frequent breaks to stand up and walk around. Stretch and get a drink of water. The longer you sit in front of a computer screen the easier it is to become frustrated. Your eyes become tired and your body will become sore. As time consuming as it may seem, taking ten minute breaks every so often during your Internet use will actually allow you to get your project done faster. These breaks will prevent boredom and frustration in the long run.