Memories

It's almost mind boggling that Youth Tech will soon have its 6 year birthday
on September 8th. Looking for something inspirational to say, I've decided to
mention Youth Tech's vision... past, present, & future. Youth Tech was built
with a definite vision in mind. That vision was to create a safe community
designed for teens which would offer entertaining and educational content
and interactivities. Since then, Youth Tech has successfully grown into an
outstanding community for teens while still following that vision.

The best of luck to Youth Tech, always...

Jeff B

Okay.... I guess I should reply too, cuz I'm one of resident old timers ;P
I have been a YTCC for FOUR YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS (and 3
days ;P). What a trip it's been. Many memories, friends, late night chats,
getting yelled at to get off the computer (I'm sure at least a few of you
saw me just disappear a couple times for no reason). It has definitely
been different along the way, but fun nevertheless. I leave for college
here in a few weeks, with most of my life being violently changed, but
I'm not going to be leaving YT behind. There's too many good things
here just to be left by the wayside. Especially the pride.... I can remember
the respect that everyone on AOL had for Youth Tech, being run by
responsible teenagers... totally destroying the stereotypical view of teens
to many adults. That is what has kept YT together, and that's what we need
to continue going strong. :) I'm sure anyone who's been around as long as
I have would agree. This is why we made it on the web, and still exist today,
with our motto of "For Teens, By Teens". How many other newsletters run
by groups of teens are read by thousands of people ? or have a website
with so much information that it impresses people ? or how about have
responsible chats which are known for being kid safe, and that parents
would be happy to let their kids go to? If this all wasn't the case, then why
would being a YTCC be such a big deal? There's too much to talk about
really, and I know I have more stories <g>, but its early.. and I woke up
cuz the stupid a/c kicked off and my room gets hot. ;) So I'm gonna go
back to sleep now. See you in the room! (Which reminds me of flooding
YTC after meetings <G>)

~Zap

Zap also had these fun memories to share <g>

HAH! .... Those are some of my favorite memories ... YT2 was the "rebel
chat" ... and everyone HAD to have a UReach number ... and if you were
young and didn't want your parents to know you secretly hid somewhere
with the phone and listened to your messages ... and then there was the
big controversy over having UReach numbers in AOL message board
signatures (it wasn't allowed :P

Sara

Hmm, I have lots of memories I could share <eg> but to spare some of
you embarrassment I won't share those. <smile> Seriously I think mostly
my memories are mainly about how people seemed to bond in YT chat.
It was amazing to me to watch friendships form, and awesome for me to
watch people grow up from silly 12 or 13 year olds into young adults
graduating high school and going off to college. We had a few that I'm
certain felt it was their duty to see how quickly they could turn my hair
gray. Some of these Pita's went on to become a few of my favorite
people.... strange huh? I remember Ry's Mac chats and how frustrated
he would get with the "PC" folk in the crowd. LOL Or who could forget
Shan and her Toaster? <giggle> I've laughed with YT, I've cried with and
over YT, I've been thwapped, had ketchup cups thrown at me, had my
Peanut Butter stolen and even my heart. Would I do it all over again if
given the chance? NAH <giggle> got ya! YT has become a huge part
of my life, it's taught me a lot about people and myself... I feel really lucky
to have found such a special place.

Now that Zap has shared I wanted to share my Macros too! <g>

Becky

What was one of your most memorable moments of Youth Tech?

Ahh.. heh, this is funny.. but like, my most memorable moments include all
those times someone "hooked me up" with someone else in the room. I
swear I went out with like 5 people I met in YT. ;) I also remember the first
time I talked to a "regular" - Shan, of course. She was so nice to me, which
was kind of a change from what you normally experience in a chatroom. It
was like talking to a friend at school - and from then on, I made more and
more friends like that, and eventually, being online and in YT felt like an
extension of my real life, my social life, spending time with my friends.
(Unfortunately it means you rack up monster phone bills ;)

Has Youth Tech had an effect on your life? Explain. :)

YT had a *profound* influence in my life ;P I made some of the best friends
I've ever known in that room.. I even flew all the way across the country
to meet a few. When I first came to YT, I was like.. 11 or 12, and I was
just getting out of cancer treatment. So I was pretty much a shut-in and
didn't have friends - but being in that room, with people who couldn't see
me in a wheelchair and a bald head - it was like a new world for me. One
where people didn't judge by appearance, but rather by the words you said
and your personality.. amazing, isn't it? ;)

Do you have any funny or odd memories of YT? ;)

Ha.. I have a lot of weird memories from wayback YT. HrM.. and I
remember the way we flocked to private rooms late at night to talk like
some highschool clique.. ahh the old days. ;) There was this one time,
though, that I met a girl in the chatroom, and she was like, in one of my
classes at school. WAY weird, eh? I thought so, too! <g>

How did you find Youth Tech (if you can even remember! :x)?

Strangely enough, I do remember.. It was like 1996, and I had been a big
regular to Nickeloadeon's "Blabbatorium," but you know once you turn like
12 or 13 they ask you to find someplace else to take up residence. So,
one day I was talking to this guy I'd met in some other chatroom, and I
"located" him, and he was in YT. So I pressed "Go" and poof! there I was.
Ha.. the first time I went there.. I went back during the daytime and met
some (reasonably) sane people.

Do you feel your experiences and time at Youth Tech has changed or
made you to be who you are?

I think that without my experiences of 4 or so years being with YT, I would
not be the same person I am. I learned a lot about myself from the people I
met there. They broadened my cultural mind, and of course they helped me to
regain my confidence with people after being isolated from friends for nearly
a year. I wouldn't have changed the past for any reason whatsoever, and I am
extremely grateful to the people who made YT the place it was.. a place where
you can go, be with friends, and be yourself, most importantly.

- Ash =) Yikes Ouch

Wow where do I begin...? Youth Tech has been a huge part of my life for five years, but it really doesn't seem like it. I remember the first person who talked to me, YTCCNight. I remember the first "clique" I fell into.. I gained a big brother through that clique.. Steven, who I lost for awhile but is now part of my life again.. :)

I remember sneaking online at night when I was supposed to be asleep. Late night phone calls that sometimes were ended by my parents stealing my phone from me (LOL)... I remember relationships being formed, some of which are still burning bright today. I remember the time my B key stopped working and I gave Becky the nickname Ecky.. which is probably what led to me calling my computer a toaster. I remember young loves and broken hearts, and how amazing it was to always have a room full of shoulders to cry on. I remember a trip to New York, and a frog necklace that hangs not from my neck anymore, but instead on a wall of memories I've created. I remember my hiatus from YT when my parents took the internet from me. When I was finally able to return, it was changed... no longer on AOL, but now, on the web. I remember my mixed feelings about this. I barely remember what the AOL chat room looked like ;)

Today, I've gone from being an 8th grader, scared to venture into high school, to a high school graduate, scared to venture off to college. I recently worked as a computer tech, where I built "toasters". I've gone through many cycles of friends at Youth Tech, seeing some come and go... and some stay part of my life for the past five years. Through every trial and tribulation I've had since 1996, I always know there's one place I can go just to talk, or to sing Garth Brooks or Natalie Imbruglia or whatever fits my mood, and sometimes have a partner to sing with.

(Even on Thursdays) ;)

Thank you Youth Tech.. here's to five more years.. see me through college and then into "real life". ;) We can do it!

Shan

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