The invention of cyber cafés gave so many people, myself included, the opportunity to use the internet for the first time. I recall browsing the internet for the first time in year 2000, at my then boyfriend's cyber café. I was thrilled to have accessed the world through the internet, and at the same time gobsmacked by the endless information available.
Back in the day, cyber cafés were such a big deal, and having a personal connection to the owner gave me more access to the internet.
Unlike today, where one subscribes to data plans, use Wi-Fi or Mi-Fi to access the internet, cyber cafes back then operated differently. To use the internet, you'd buy a set amount of time, usually printed on a small white paper receipt with a PIN. The time was bounded, so you could choose to buy either 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes, or an hour. Once you had the receipt, you'd enter the PIN to access the internet.
As the girlfriend of the cyber cafe owner,
I was on "freemium" and could access the internet without PINS.
The benefits of having connections. Lol.
The day I sent my first email, I was thrilled to see how quickly it reached my boyfriend's inbox. One day, I had visited him at the cyber café, and while we were chatting, he handed me a paper print out, with an email address and password written on it.
The address "[email protected]" had me guessing that it was mine but I looked at him questioningly, seeking confirmation. He nodded in confirmation, and I was over the moon! I couldn't wait to access my new email account and send my very first email. With his help, I was able to do so, and it was a "thank you message" to him.
From then on, any time I visited, I would surf the internet and share digital love. 123Greetings.com was my favorite site. I loved sending e-cards, beautiful animated GIFs or messages to friends and family members, who had email addresses then.
I joined Facebook in July 20, 2010, after starting my new job. Owning a social media account was a requirement for my job. I didn't have a smart phone then so I used my company's computer to create a Facebook account. It was a whole new experience, connecting and chatting with other users via Messenger, I can recall how thrilled I was uploading my first profile picture immediately after creating the account, and sending my first chat on Messenger.
I still maintain the same account till date, although I'm not longer so active on Facebook.
Then in 2014, a friend gifted me a Nokia smartphone, and that was the beginning of my journey into other social media platforms - WhatsApp, Twitter now X, LinkedIn, Telegram and Instagram
I joined Telegram, X and LinkedIn same year, 2020, during the Covid 19 national lockdown. Joining these platforms really helped me live through the lockdown, as I was gaining a lot of knowledge there especially on LinkedIn.
This was in 2024
This was my Xversasry in 2023
After joining LinkedIn, I was able to connect with professionals in and outside my industry. I also took some professional trainings via LinkedIn Learning, all which I received the certificates thereafter.
That's a wrap. As I reminisce about my early days with the internet, I'm reminded that "change is the only constant thing in life." Technology has come a long way, and it still has more longer ways to go.
Thanks for joining me on this memorable journey. Till next time.
This is my response to the Digi-prompts 028. You can join here
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To some people, you started using the Internet way back early in 2000. But for others you are welcome to one of the best inventions, though the Internet comes with it's disadvantages but it's advantages far outweighs the later. Keep enjoying your Internet.
Yeah, I'm an OG in the internet world 😅.
Thanks for coming around.
Ohhh yeah!! Girlfriend’s privileges and nothing beats that😂😂😂 I feel you sis😂😂
I tell you. I was enjoying every bit of the free access to the internet. 😅
I opened my Facebook account in 2011 I think. That's like 14 years ago. I still use this account though. Back then having access to the Internet was and big deal and paying for time at the cafe was such a lovable thing. A cyber cafe lover, that made it even better lol.
Your Facebook account should be monetized by now, lol. If only there was Hive then, we could have been swimming in billions with our accounts by now 😅. Silly things we did at the cyber cafes then. It was another lover's net.
Unfortunately they don't use the Facebook age as a prerequisite for monetization, if it was I could have been a big boy lol.
I dey tell you. We would have been cashing out real time
An email account as a gift? That's wild yet really thoughtful of the guy, though. I doubt you still have access to it. I invite you to engage other authors.
Love can make one do crazy things, lol. The account was active for years. Well I changed the password when things went south, and added security to it. But unfortunately, along the way, memory failed me as I couldn't remember the answer to the security question 😂.
You can say I shot myself in the foot, hehehe.
Hahaha (shot yourself in the foot),🤣
I did oo in a bid to protect my account 😂
!DOOK
This can happen to anyone and it does happen.
Yeah, so true.
How are you doing? Haven't been seeing you around.
I'm good.
Cyber cafe then was for the big boys and girls, we used to boast of going to the cafe. What a revolving world.
I hear you. I can imagine how you'd boost about going to the Cafe to win a girl over way back. 😂
!BBH
No ooo
Eyyy Luchyl!!!
I can’t unsee the girlfriend part. Please show me the way. I want freemiums too😂
Eish, the freemium has expired since over how many years now 🤣🤣. I'm now OYO.
!DOOK
wow you don't know how many memories you made come to my head with this post.
I think we all have a good memory of those early days on the internet.
I'm glad the post brought back memories. I, too, felt the rush of nostalgic memories while I was writing it. Oh, the good old days.
!BBH
I miss the days we'd have to go to Cyber cafe just to browse or do some school projects, internet has gone far beyond going to the cyber cafe .
That's change for you. More internet inventions are coming out
This got me rolling with laughter. The perks that comes with being the owner's gir. I'm glad you enjoyed the privileges while it lasted.
I was the boss girl then, hehehe. This post really brought back beautiful memories. Thank you for coming around.!BBH
You're welcome.
😂Oh dear ,there was one app then we normally call 2go that one came before some of these tho
Yeah, I know about 2go but never owned an account. Wasn't really interested in it.
!BBH
😂When 2go came out funny enough l was still a child then
My first email message was done at the cyber cafe. Though I had a smart phone but had no idea on how to send messages.
Cyber cafés was the in thing then, and many of us used it for internet surfing
I remember the pin days when life had become easier, everyone had access to smartphones, and there was no need to visit the cafe to browse anymore.
you were among the early birds that got to start using the internet, I didn't know anything about the internet until 2008 and that was through Facebook, Eskimi, and yahoo mail
Yeah, with smartphones, people has no need of visiting the cyber cafes again since they can surf the net with their phones.
I was fascinated with the internet, that's why I
I appreciate the support.
!BBH
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