Just how social is social media?

When I think back to my life before I began utilizing social media, it’s hard to remember just what I did with my free time. But these days I know just how I waste time: social media, a tool that has revolutionized the way we interact with other people.

Thanks to social media tools like Facebook and Twitter, instead of completely forgetting about that random girl from junior high whose locker was next to yours, you know that she bought some new flats on sale at Target and–big news–she just painted her toenails blue! No matter whether you think it’s for good or bad, you can’t deny social media has drastically changed the way we communicate.

An article on the Guardian sparked debate over social media. Some say social media allows us to be in contact contact with friends, family and colleagues, and others argue it has made us lazy and isolated from the real world. Even though I know it sounds like a cop out, I think both are true, and I agree with some points of both sides of the argument.

While social media is great for maintaining friendships and networking, to me it also creates a sense of extreme laziness and isolation. Sometimes I spend time looking at social media sites and then realize I haven’t actually had a face-to-face conversation with another human being in hours. Other times I Facebook chat with my roommates–while we’re in the same apartment. Is it something I can’t talk to them about in person? No. We’re just honestly that lazy sometimes.

For friends I’m still close to, I’d much rather talk on the phone or Skype than get a bi-annual life update via Facebook. But there are people I’d like to keep in touch with who I’m just not comfortable calling. Thanks to social media (namely Facebook), I have kept in touch with numerous friends from high school who I otherwise would have surely stopped talking to a month after graduation.

I can’t lie. I’m on Facebook a lot. I find it seems to magically pop up on my laptop screen when I just don’t want to read about 19th century theology any longer. And as I get more used to Twitter, I’m sure I’ll be spending more time there, too.

But just how much is too much?

In my case, I find I spend way more time on social networking sites when I am at school, avoiding homework than when I’m at home with my family or am busy with other activities. As long as I’m occupied with something else, I have no real need to check Facebook or Twitter. But when I’m at school, sitting in my room, staring at the wall I go right back to social media sites.

As social media grows and changes as everything does, it will be interesting to see its role in people’s lives. Will everyone be connected to social media sites at all times? Will Facebook and Twitter die out, only to be replaced by the next big thing? Only time will tell. But I’m betting social media isn’t going anywhere for quite awhile.

2011
01/31
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Summing me up in a sentence

What one single sentence defines me?

This question has been harder to answer than I expected. And I knew it would be challenging.

I hate talking about myself. I think most people do, but it has become especially apparent to me as I have worked on various projects throughout my college career, such as the “about me” section on a website I made, or even on this blog. As much as I love writing, pretty much everything I write about myself ends up sounding about as cookie-cutter and bland as can be.

With that in mind, I sat down to write the one single sentence that sums me up. A video by Daniel Pink poses the question: What is your sentence? My answer was as follows: I have no clue. And to be honest, after reflecting on this question for some time, I still don’t really know for sure.

I know that I’m interested in writing, editing and public relations, hence my major, but I like to hope that I’m not completely defined by my major. I think there is so much more to me (and to all college students) than our chosen fields of study.

Since I’ve been in college, I’ve grown a lot, and learned a lot about myself. I’m not just saying that to be cliché; I truly believe it. I also realize, though, that I still have a lot of growing up to do. And I like that. Yes Motion City Soundtrack, the future does freak me out. But if I’ve learned anything in college, it’s how much I love to learn–and many experiences in my life have shaped out to be pretty good learning opportunities so far.

So after rambling on (as I tend to do), I’ve finally settled on a sentence that I think accurately describes me at this moment. Who knows if it’ll hold true in a couple months or a couple years…but it’s all part of the experience, right?

I am a curious, young-at-heart college student with a passion for learning, truth and growth which drives me, and hopefully is translated in my words and actions.

2011
01/21
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Blogs: Useful in many ways

After looking at several blogs the past few months, I have come to realize how useful blogs can be for many different outlets. While some serve as online diaries, others discuss various forms of entertainment or, as in this particular case, some inform readers of specific types of news.

After looking at a few different recommended public relations blogs, I found myself gravitating toward PRNewser and Brian Solis’ blog. Both these blogs informed readers of important pieces of news to note in the field.

Another thing I appreciated about these two blogs in particular is their use of tags. As blogs delivering news, both refer to other news sites or previous blog posts–and tag frequently for the convenience of readers.

While Brian Solis’ blog focuses on many different topics, I was particularly struck with his thoughts on social media. In one post, he talks about the importance of planning in regards to use of social media. He argues that not planning ahead will result in failure, and that social media includes a lot more than just Facebook and Twitter.

Another post I particularly enjoyed included several pie charts exploring the demographics of Facebook and Twitter users. I was not surprised to see that most users on both Facebook and Twitter are young, or that the majority of them do not have children at home; however, I was surprised by how many users on both sites have higher education. These charts were both interesting and informative, and got me thinking more about both social networking sites.

PRNewser focuses more on mainstream news, but also talks about ties between the news and social media. One article I found interesting looked into PR’s role in the recent Tunisian presidential scandal. Protests that led their president to flee the country have been organized and publicized through social media, proving to me just how interconnected PR, news and social media are.

I found the PRNewser blog to be easy to read and relevant to my major and interests. One post looks into the audio industry’s slow recovery after an incredible decline, while another explains how the Golden Globes have been sued by its former publicists. Even if the topics would not normally be of interest to me, I really appreciate how PRNewser ties PR and news together in a straightforward fashion.

Both blogs were useful to me and my special interest in news and public relations. Even though they have their differences, both effectively get the message across and left me well-informed.

2011
01/16
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In the end

As I look back on this semester in Feature Writing, I realize how much I’ve learned. Being in this class taught me more about how to conduct interviews (which is something I now feel much more confident doing), how to use blogs in different ways and–most importantly–about penguin Silly Bandz. Although I should take a moment to say how much I hate the way “Bandz” is spelled.

Over the semester, I have enjoyed growing as a writer. I feel as though my writing has improved and has become more effortless than before. I now better understand what kinds of questions to ask during an interview and how to form additional questions based on the interviewee’s answers. And I feel much more comfortable picking out the important quotes from those interviews to use in the articles I write.

Aside from improved writing in general, I think my blogging skills have improved. At the beginning of the semester it would take me much longer to get started writing than it does now. Additionally, I see how useful blogs can be: people use blogs as a sort of online diary, as informational sites, for comic relief and as travel blogs.

The readings that prompted some of our blog posts not only provoked me to write, but also helped my writing. The variety of stories gave perspective and opened my eyes to the many different types of feature writing. And on top of that, I gained insight to other aspects of life aside from reading and writing: “The Final Salute”, one of my favorite readings for our blogs, taught me about the gruesome reality of the lives of casualty assistance officers.

Yet even though I can see the strides my writing has taken, I realize there are many areas in which I still need to grow as a writer. First and foremost: leads. I continue to struggle consistently in coming up with leads–and furthermore, coming up with leads that aren’t absolutely tragic. Although I usually have no trouble writing after I come up with a lead, the leads themselves do not seem to come naturally to me.

Transitions are also not my strong point. I tend to either skip awkwardly between subjects without offering the reader much of a transition at all, or I get far too wordy, which I will argue is equally as annoying.

I’ll soon leave this semester behind, taking both my writing progress and continued troubles with me. But I won’t forget how much I learned in these past four months.

2010
12/04
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Fallen but not forgotten: the Final Salute

While many people are oblivious to the sacrifices (and volumes of sacrifices) men and women in the armed forces make on a daily basis, even more people neglect to think of the impacts on their families. Jim Sheeler’s “Final Salute” opened my eyes to the lives of those in the military and their families. Sheeler included interesting insights into the lives of military families, as well as those who have the unfortunate task of bearing the worst message that any family member could hear: that a son/daughter/husband/wife has passed away.

Sheeler’s article chronicles the tragic duties of Major Steve Beck, a casualty assistance calls officer in the Marines. His job is to inform families of military casualties–but contrary to what I had previously assumed, the job doesn’t end there. “Final Salute” follows Beck from the initial dreaded knock on the front door through the burial of one of his fallen comrades. Instead of merely delivering the news and disappearing, Beck oversaw funeral arrangements and coordinated watch over the remains of one Marine’s body, while simultaneously offering his support to the parents and pregnant widow of the fallen soldier.

The attention to detail Sheeler uses in the article has a chilling effect, and allows readers to become fully enveloped in the melancholy state in which Beck spends much of his life. Yet through Sheeler’s flowing and effective word choice, it is clear that Beck might not love his job per se, he respects the importance of it and wouldn’t write off its significance.

After reading such a well-written heartbreaking and touching story, there is no question why Sheeler won a Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing. “Final Salute” is an incredible read, albeit a bit depressing. But it opens eyes to different realities of war in a way that no other article I’ve read has done before.

2010
11/29
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Harry Potter: the wizard, the wand, the wonder

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the midnight premiere of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I” with friends. Not naive enough to think we could get tickets the night of the show, we purchased our tickets a few weeks in advance. One of my friends had been counting down the days until the premiere pretty much since the date of the premiere was announced.

We got to the theater a couple hours early, and it’s a good thing we did: the movie theater we went to was bustling with hundreds of excited young people. The auditorium we were assigned to was already packed with people decked in red and gold scarves or full-on character costumes, carrying wands of different varieties.

As I sat in theater, anxious and excited to see the first part of the final installment in the series that is beloved by so many, one of my friends said something along the lines of, “I forgot how big of a deal this is.” And she’s so right–Harry Potter IS a big deal.

And while people of all ages enjoy the series about the wizard and his adventures (my mom included), my generation has truly grown up with Harry Potter. I was seven when the first book was published in 1997, and I’ll admit, I thought the whole concept sounded pretty strange. It wasn’t until more books were released and my friends urged/forced me to start reading the series that I began to realize just how wonderful the books are. I was not alone in this realization: I can count on one hand the few friends around my age group who honestly don’t like Harry Potter. And most of them haven’t really read the books.

I can’t think of anything else that has been as much of a cultural phenomenon for my generation than the Harry Potter series. For that, I think J.K. Rowling is absolutely amazing. Funny and lighthearted at times, dark and thrilling in others, this series appeals to girls and boys, men and women. I can honestly say that when I look back on my childhood, Harry Potter will be a large part of it. So thank you, J.K. Rowling, for delighting readers for years past and, in all likelihood, many years to come.

2010
11/27
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Stop to smell the roses

Coming from Lawrence, Kan., I have been around plenty of street musicians. Downtown Lawrence is a popular place for people of all ages to hang out, so musicians will often stand on street corners or in alleyways downtown to play their music. Sometimes the musicians are genuinely talented, causing passersby to linger while enjoying sweet melodies. Other times–let’s not sugar coat this–they’re just bad. But hey, you have to give them credit for trying. Regardless of talent, I always notice these musicians. But that does not necessarily mean that I take a moment to stop and enjoy their music.

Gene Weingarten’s “Pearls Before Breakfast” proves an interesting point about typical busy, rushed Americans: we don’t always take time to stop and smell the roses. Sometimes we miss out on incredible beauty when it is literally right in our faces–or ears. People (myself included) often get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of their tiring days that they don’t take a little time to listen to the talents of street musicians.

Weingarten’s article follows the story of Joshua Bell, a famous violinist, performing in a crowded area of Washington, D.C. during a busy time of day. A man who is used to performing in front of large audiences who paid large amounts of money to see him, Bell was shocked at the remarkably small number of people who put money in his case, or even stopped to listen to him play.

When I first started reading the article, I thought to myself that people must be crazy to not stop and listen to such a talented musician play for free. But as I read on, I realized that I am one of those people at times. Even if I enjoy what I’m hearing, sometimes I just feel to rushed to listen to a street performer.

People who walk by street performers without taking a second listen often miss out not only on hearing talented musicians, but also getting to know interesting people. So whether I’m walking around the Old Market on a Saturday night or wandering around downtown Lawrence on a lazy Sunday, I will be more conscious of the street musicians around me. This time I will stop to smell the roses.

2010
11/05
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Let’s do the Time Warp again

Last weekend, at long last, I finally saw “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” for the first time. It was inevitable that I watch it sooner or later. The cult classic seemed to be everywhere around me: friends talking about going to see it over Halloween weekend, in a scene from the original “Fame”, and, more importantly, on this past week’s episode of “Glee”. I wanted to see “Rocky Horror” before I watched “Glee” so that I could fully enjoy the episode. So when I got back to my room one night to see people starting to watch “Rocky Horror”, I decided to join them.

To say “Rocky Horror” is weird is an understatement. I was confused throughout most of the movie and spent a lot of time talking to my friends about what the writers were on when they wrote the script. And it was definitely experience to see Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry looking…different than they usually do these days. But despite its weirdness, for lack of better word, “Rocky Horror” is certainly an interesting movie. Between the bizarre plot, the lighthearted singing and dancing and the costuming, the last thing “Rocky Horror” can be described as is boring.

This morning I read an article on a Yahoo! blog about the movie that has been popular for 35 years. The blog attributes the success of “Rocky Horror” to a few factors, but there is one main point: according to the blog, “Simply put, ‘Rocky Horror’ isn’t like your normal trip to the megaplex. Instead, it’s a party.”

According to the blog, audiences everywhere (many movie theaters still play “Rocky Horror” around Halloween time every year) don’t just sit idly in theaters watching the film on a large screen. Instead, they dress up in costumes like those seen in the movie, shout profanities back at the screen and bring props to mimic some of the on-screen action.

“Rocky Horror” is a cultural experience that still has a huge place in pop culture. Whether or not everyone likes the movie, it seems to be here to stay. So let’s do the Time Warp again!

 

2010
10/31
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The good, the bad, the truth

Regardless of whether or not you are interested in politics, John McCain, or how the two work together, you can’t deny David Foster Wallace’s gift for writing powerful description. “The Weasel, Twelve Monkeys and a Shrub”, originally featured in Rolling Stone, follows McCain’s 2000 presidential pursuit.

While many people only know McCain as a Republican who was injured in Vietnam and has run for president, Wallace gives readers an inside look at the man behind the campaigns–and, in the process, shows that there is more to McCain than what meets the eye.

Wallace’s article features many aspects of McCain’s life, from his near-death experiences in the Navy in the Vietnam war to his 2000 presidential campaign and all the people involved.

And aside from giving readers insight to McCain’s personal life, Wallace does not merely tell, but shows readers what life is like on a campaign bus. Between the “Twelve Monkeys” following McCain around in their identical button down shirts and Wendy, Cindy McCain’s eager, blue-eyed assistant scrambling to find Cindy a manicurist, readers quickly see that there is rarely a dull moment on this campaign bus.

One of the most interesting parts of the article refers to a tactic McCain (at least the time of the article) used to conclude his speeches. At the end of every speech, he would simply state that whether or not you agreed with what he said during his speech, he will always tell you the truth.

Although it’s such a small portion compared to how expansive the article is, this paragraph intrigues me. McCain, or someone working for him, clearly knew that many Americans are leery of politicians’ honesty. So to come right out and say that everything he has said in his speeches is true is a straightforward angle that might have made me think twice about my opinion of McCain–good or bad.

Although I personally felt the amount of detail to be redundant and bothersome at times, I can’t say that reading Wallace’s article didn’t teach me anything. After reading this article, I have a much better grasp on the intricacies of a political campaign. And I certainly know more now about how McCain reached this point in his life–politically and personally.

2010
10/27
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Something old, something new

 

A few nights ago I sat down to watch “Julie & Julia” for the first time, hoping it would live up to the praise that many of my friends and family gave it. Within the first ten minutes, I had my answer.

Amy Adams and Meryl Streep play Julie Powell and Julia Child, respectively. Powell, in a sort of rut in her career, decides to cook her way through over 500 recipes contained in Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” in a year while writing a blog about it.

This plotline is interwoven with a story that took place over 50 years later: how Child became a world-famous cook.  The many similarities of these two women’s lives are cleverly captured in the film: less-than-satisfying original jobs, friends they can lean on and supportive husbands.

Aside from the fact that I respect both Adams and Streep’s work as actresses, the movie was well written, with a good supporting cast. Add the fact that I love food and am writing a blog of my own and you get a movie I was bound to love.

Since I didn’t know much about Child before watching “Julie & Julia”, I was pleasantly surprised with the bubbly, optimistic character I grew to love in just a couple hours. Once she set her mind on learning how to cook, she simply did not take no for an answer. I found myself laughing as she whizzed past the men in her cooking class that was supposed to be for professionals only.

I also found the growling in my stomach to grow louder as the movie progressed, but that’s a whole different story.

Throughout the movie I felt that I could relate to Powell’s excitement as she set up her blog and began her whirlwind adventure of cooking and writing. I appreciate her perseverance: she kept writing while she was unsure if anyone read her blog because it was important to her. It wasn’t helping her career—or her marriage, for that matter—but she stuck it out because she was determined to accomplish her goal. And that is something that everyone, non-writers aside, can admire.

2010
10/25
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