Technology is growing faster than some of us can learn how to use it.

My concern is that some Americans have become too dependent on technology.

Some people spend more time with their computer and other digital devices than with family and friends. Some children are even learning to type before they learn to write.

I can only imagine what the average 5-year-old will be capable of with technology 10 years from now.

Most of us are old enough to recall that there was mass hysteria months before the turn of the millennium. All everyone talked about was how the year 2000 glitch would shut down the computer systems and how the same year would be the end of mankind.

We all know that didn’t happen, but what if, by some twist of fate, the technologies we use most — such as our computers and cell phones — stopped functioning?

Some people can’t make it through the day without checking their e-mail a least five times.

I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be able to function without my cell phone or laptop, and I think most people my age can say the same.

My cell phone is my lifeline. I need it to keep in touch with my parents and text messaging is how I communicate with my friends who aren’t Facebook.com junkies.

As college students, we are at the top of the list when it comes to the use of technology — if not by choice, then by force.

Some MSU professors want research papers, essays and class assignments turned into them via e-mail and Web sites like ANGEL.

Some professors keep all of their records such as students’ grades, attendance, the course syllabus and class lectures as computer files.

With the class sizes of some universities, it can be near impossible to manage them without a sophisticated system.

I can only hope that professors also keep these things recorded someplace other than their home and office computer. If the system they used for keeping track of grades crashed, they would lose everything.

Students wouldn’t know where to begin if they had to write a research paper by hand.

Today, when students go to the library, they rarely go to look through volumes of books to do research.

We should prepare ourselves in case something happens and our computers become inaccessible.

Being able to complete work without the assistance of the Internet and computers is an invaluable skill to have.

If computers malfunctioned, everyone would be affected, not just students and professors.

Today, some jobs can’t be done without a computer.

For example, some customer service companies are run strictly by computer operators.

I depend on those computers when I need technical support.

Not only do I think we’re too dependent on technology — I also think we spend too much time and money trying to keep up with what’s new.

The result of that is a materialistic society.

The latest technologies to hit store shelves — like Apple’s MacBook Air and the iPhone — cost more than some people make in one paycheck.

Still, in an attempt to keep up with the crowd, there are some people who would buy these things before they pay their bills.

I’m definitely not against the use of technology.

But as for our dependency on technology and how we spend our money on computers and other gadgets – those are things I think we need to try to change.

Keiara Tenant is the State News opinion writer. Reach her at tennnan10@msu.edu .