Are you a digital tourist or a native?

With great technology comes great responsibilities...

Let's be honest... technology can be pretty intimidating. There are so many applications and accounts (and their passwords!) to keep track of, how do you know if you are on top of things or just barely getting by?

Whenever I feel overwhelmed with all the accounts and ways of communication, I am reminded of a scene from the movie, "He's Just Not That into You” (2009). Drew Barrymore talks about the struggles of online messaging and reminisces about the good old days when communication was much simpler. 

 

 

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 That was in 2009. Now in 2023, having an online presence is becoming second nature. Living in China for 5 years, you would think I would be technologically ahead of my peers, but everything that I would have normally used was blocked by their government’s firewall. When I moved back in 2020, it was a whole new technological world to discover.

At first it was a little intimidating, but as I learned more about how you can connect with people who share your same interests and views, it’s not that scary and actually quite fun!

 

Digital Resident or Digital Visitor?

When it comes to shopping, do you just window shop or you do like to go into the store and see what they have to offer? The same concept can be applicable to websites. When you visit a website, do you just browse, or do you make an account? Overall, the difference between a digital resident and digital visitor is how an individual wishes to engage on the web.

When asked if I am a digital resident or visitor, I immediately thought that I was a visitor. I don’t see myself as a tech extraordinaire, and when I see my peers with their professional online presences, I know I am nowhere near that level. For example, when I am on LinkedIn, my personal page is no where near the professional level of my career rivals.

Since I am currently in a career transition trying to land on a good job trajectory while studying for my MLIS, I have been pushed into the online job pool. Every day, you are applying against hundreds of applicants for the same position, and there is always someone who will have a better resume than you. Like education, job searching has evolved hand-in-hand with technology, and if you don’t keep up with the times, then you will be left behind. 

How do I find out my digital engagement level?

In order to answer this question, you need to do some digital soul searching. David White suggests creating a digital map to understand whether you are a visitor or a resident. 

Below is my personal digital map:

 

Image Source: Personal Image

 

Honestly, I was shocked how much I had on the resident side. I just assumed I was a visitor, but I have accounts for all these applications and websites, and I do engage on varying levels. For example, on social media applications (Instagram, Threads, TikTok, X) I mostly just “like” or “repost”, I never create posts on my own anymore, but I still engage and check them daily. There are also my creative applications (Kapwing, Word, Adobe) where I work on personal projects such as memes, stories, and art. I check those applications every other day.

 For my professional side, I only log in when I need to use the applications for projects and assignments, mainly Google. The main social media application on the professional side is LinkedIn, which I only check once or twice a week. 

Whereas my personal resident side of the map is active daily, my professional side is only used during the week. As it is crucial to separate your private life from your professional life, I believe this also applies to your digital life.  

 

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After mapping out my digital activity, and realizing that I am more of a resident than a visitor, I don't feel overwhelmed anymore. If you haven't done it, I highly recommend it because it puts things into perspective, and you will gain more confidence about your abilities moving forward.