Before my younger sister entered high school, she could never fully realize why I spent so much time on the computer; I was not secretly surfing the web, I was sluggishly typing out my homework assignments. As a result, we exchanged angry words daily in what was supposed to be my place of quietness, my bedroom. But I could understand her desire to go online; to check in on friends, message people, and to update whatever online life she had. She wasn't old enough to enjoy the luxury of being able to simply drive off to go see friends whenever she wanted, so the Internet was how she kept herself involved.

Her attitude toward me changed when she finally entered high school and had her own experience with the drastic increase in homework. She became a little more understanding and the arguments over the computer ceased. Instead of being the source of conflict, the computer became a source of connection between us. My sister and I have pretty busy lives; we get overloaded with school work, compete at sporting events, and attend a myriad of activities. Although the computer had been the source of a many fights, it has now, in a special way, actually helped us to be in each others lives in a good way. When my sister comes across a funny video on YouTube she'll show it to me and we'll share a laugh. If I find a new band or song that I like, I'll tell her about it to get her opinion. The computer isn't just for connecting with people on the other side of the world, sometimes it ís for relating to the people within your own home.

I am thankful for my sister's new found sense of empathy that has led to a much quieter and peaceful room. Of course there are times of conflict when we both sorely need to complete multipage essays, but the arguments are nowhere near what they had been in the past. We know how to recognize each other's need to get things done, and we know how to make sacrifices for the other. ...........

I have learned a good deal from simply sharing a computer in my room. I know how to negotiate and make compromises about how much time is spent on the computer. I have realized that, although I generally am an easy-going pacifist, I can have a short-fuse with my sister. And while I still do get angry on occasion, I now get over it rather quickly.

If a stranger were to randomly look at the computer desk they would see a mess of papers, notes, scraps of doodles, and other items littering the space. It would look as if it all belongs to one person, but it actually belongs to two. Only my sister and I can distinguish between what is the evidence of the other. Despite all of the problems my sister and I may have, we are actually quite capable of sharing the same living space.

I know that the simple abilities of being able to negotiate and to share will come in handy in the future. I can imagine what kind of situations I will find myself using them: from discussing how to best respect the wishes of a roommate or two within a single dorm, to working with fellow employees at a job. I will always be surrounded by many people, and I will always want to live and work with them in harmony. I can't live life by avoiding other people or focus solely on goal of a group's project because how we work together to achieve that goal is just as important as the outcome itself. Building relationships, understanding another's point of view, developing empathy, and learning to give are things that can be gained through living with others. If we didn't concern ourselves with how we function with those around us, then we'd be like robots; only giving our attention to how attain our goals and desires without regard for others. Understanding how I interact with others has been important to my development as a person. It is amazing to me that I have learned all of this by simply sharing a computer in my personal space, and it gives me the confidence to know that I will successfully work well with other individuals in college and beyond.