FreshQuest

Technology plays an integral role in the life of the 18-year-old Berkeley freshmen as they transform from high school students living at home into college students living in dorms. Most students use a variety of technologies allowing them to access their social networks any time, anywhere, instantly. We will summarize our study including a survey of 234 Berkeley undergraduates and interviews with 22 Berkeley freshmen detailing how they use technology to support their social networks. Among our results, we will show how technology use varies with time, place, and social groups; how they began using those technologies; and how they negotiate the role of technologies in their lives.