My First Experience with a Computer: From Fear to Familiarity

My relationship with computers did not begin with confidence or excitement. It began with curiosity, confusion, and a little fear. Like many students of my generation, my first real experience with a computer happened during my high school days, inside a small computer lab filled with unfamiliar machines and quiet tension.

My First Lesson: Drawing with a Mouse

When I was studying in high school, computer science was a new and interesting subject for me. One of the first things I learned was painting using a brush tool with a mouse. Holding a mouse and trying to draw something on the screen felt strange. My hand was not steady, the cursor moved too fast, and the drawings never looked the way I imagined them in my mind.

Still, there was something magical about it. Drawing without paper, without paint—just clicks and movements—felt like stepping into a new world.

The Exam I Still Remember

I clearly remember one particular computer subject exam. That day, nothing went as planned. When I started using the computer, it was not working properly. The system was slow, and I was already feeling nervous.

Even with the issues, I somehow managed to complete the exam question. But when it was time to save the file, I couldn’t do it. No matter what I tried, the file wouldn’t save.

Panicking, I called my teacher and said,

“Sir, I can’t save this file. Can you please help me?”

His name was Murlidharan Sir—a name I still remember clearly. He came to my desk and pressed the Shift key. I don’t know what exactly happened, but suddenly, my work disappeared from the screen.

I was shocked.

The exam time was almost over. I couldn’t see my work, I couldn’t redo it, and I couldn’t do anything. I just sat there, helpless. That day, I failed the exam—not because I didn’t know the subject, but because I didn’t understand the machine.

That moment stayed with me for a long time.

Plus Two: A Better Experience

When I reached Plus Two, my relationship with computers started to improve. During the computer practical lab exam, I remember the question clearly—it was about creating a calculator. The same question had already appeared in the model exam, so it felt easy and familiar.

This time, I was confident. I knew what to do, and I did it well. That exam gave me a sense of relief and achievement. It felt like I had finally made peace with computers.

Learning Software: Tally and MS Office

Later, I studied Tally and MS Office. I learned how to work with documents, spreadsheets, and basic accounting software. At that time, all of this felt useful and important.

But today, if I’m being honest, I don’t remember much of it. Like many skills we learn but don’t practice, they slowly fade away.

When I Bought My Laptop

Buying my own laptop was a special moment. I didn’t use it for anything complicated. Mostly, I watched movies. Watching movies on a laptop felt peaceful—headphones on, screen close, the world outside completely silent.

The laptop also became a storage space for me:

Work-related PDF files

Someone’s biodata

Important documents

Random saved files

It quietly held pieces of my life.

From Laptop to Phone

Over time, things changed. Smartphones became powerful. Slowly, I started doing everything on my phone—writing, watching videos, saving files, browsing the internet.

The laptop was used less and less.

Now, I rarely open it.

Rest in Peace, My Laptop

My laptop didn’t break suddenly. It just slowly became unnecessary. But it was there during an important phase of my life—when I was learning, failing, improving, and growing.

So this is not just about a machine.

It’s about memories.

Rest in peace, my laptop.

You were once my window to a new world.