Growing up, I remember the first computer my family ever had. It was ancient; a large, bulky contraption that clogged an entire corner of my dad's study. Our internet connection, as reliable as prehistoric dial up connections could be, loaded pages in two minutes or longer. I remember my first email account--a free Juno account that I proudly showed off to my friends at school. On one hand, it was completely exciting because I was experiencing the internet--a new technology that would change how our lives function. On the other hand, however, it is hard to predict where its future was headed.

Fast forwarding to today, my wireless home network protected by the most recent McAfee Security Systems allows me to surf the internet ten times faster than when I first used it a decade ago. I can access it while sitting in my basement or on my lawn. Indeed, the internet has become a steady fixture in my life, and I realize how much my life is intertwined with the internet. I find myself, a young college student, constantly in front of my laptop, surfing site after site and checking my multiple email accounts religiously.

Today, the internet offers me opportunities I did not have as a kid. I've always been fascinated with making money, earning a profit, and being successful in business. Being a curious second grader who was interested in making more money than just from finding coins in the mall, I convinced several friends to draw and sketch pictures of animals, frame them with construction paper, and sell them to anyone who was willing to buy one for a whopping 75 cents. The beginning of a young corporation was not to be, however, as we soon became too attached to our own drawings to part with them.

With the increased accessibility to markets I never thought were reachable ten years ago, I can easily make money online through different methods. I've signed up for websites that send me short surveys and short emails where I can earn points to trade for cash and prizes. I've found sites where I can write articles and blog posts to earn money. With job sites like Monster.com and CampusPoint.com, I've been able to network with recruiters and companies for jobs, internships, and work experiences.

Ten years ago, it was difficult to predict where 21st century technology was headed. Today, it is difficult to predict what it will be like in another ten to fifteen years. Perhaps by then, I will have created my own website and start up company. Perhaps I'll have established my non-profit organization utilizing the resources of the internet. Perhaps I'll have discovered an unknown in the world of 21st century technology. Regardless, I am much more excited today than I was when I first started using the internet. I have no doubt the future will exceed today's excitement once more.