Problems Of An “Always On” Generation

(I am an undergraduate student who works part-time at the university library.)

Student: “Um, excuse me, can you help me? This computer is not working.”

Me: “What’s wrong with it?”

Student: *while clicking the mouse* “The screen is black. Can you come, please?”

(I walk over to her computer and see that the monitor looks like it is off.)

Me: “Oh, OK. Maybe the monitor’s plug has been pulled. Let me fix that.”

(I quickly realise that the computer is actually off. Student is still clicking.)

Student: “I don’t know what happened. I shut the computer down, and now it’s not working.”

Me: “Um, OK. So you clicked “shut down” and it turned off, and now it’s not working?”

Student: “Yes.”

(I proceeded to show her how to turn the computer on by pointing at the power button and asking her to press it.)

Student: *when the computer turns on* “Ohhhh!”