The century that changed humanity

In the modern and ever-improving world that we live in today it's hard to believe that something as simple and widespread as the TV or the radio were only around for about one century. With electronics like the iPad and smart phone we are spoiled by the types of technologies that would have been science fiction just a couple of decades ago. People today should have an understanding of the historical and political happenings of the 20th and 21st centuries that have made our advanced technologies of today possible. Imagine you are a college student in the 1930's depression America and you have to navigate college and life with technologies that are pre-World War 2. How would you manage the hassles of daily life for better, or for worse?