a cautionary tale?

So I've just been reading through my old e-mails on my W&M account. It's bizarre to think how many things one goes through in the course of the formative--or rather hormonal, over-dramatic, and alcohol-fueled--college years. In a way I can remember being in those situations and the intensity of those moments but come on, how did I have the time to deal with so much over-the-top drama? I always thought I studied quite a lot at school, but now I'm wondering how I ever found the time to do so--my plate being so full of a seemingly non-stop sequence of bizarrely intense emotional experiences. I feel the same after reading old AOL messages.

I suppose we are in the unique position these days of being able to so carefully catalogue our thoughts and experiences through written means. Sure journals and letters have always served that purpose but now we're documenting things everyday, often without the intent to do so. With 'conversation' saving options on messaging programs it goes even a step further. I know that there is a big population of college graduates in the US who have had their share of biting, flirtatious, or even cathartic conversations via online messenger. How many conversations do you think your parents can recall word for word? Some might brush off this type of thing as secondary to face-to-face interaction, but with today's increasingly internet-dependent world, who's to say it's not making its way to the forefront?

Nostalgia, elation, and even regret: it's all at your fingertips.

Have you checked your email lately?