Term Paper 1 - Personal Media Usage

Hannah Diffee
Professor Reppert
Introduction to Mass Communication
Sept. 2022

Term Paper 1 - Personal Media Usage

Media is a huge part of my everyday life. From the time I wake up in the morning to the time I finally fall asleep, I'm using some form of media to communicate with my friends and family, do schoolwork, or entertain myself in the few free moments I have. I have always consumed or used media in some form. I've seen many pictures and heard countless stories from my family about me eagerly sitting down in front of the TV to watch Dora the Explorer or Barney before I even knew how to form full sentences. Ever since seventh grade when my parents first let me get a phone, I have pretty much always had an electronic communication device at the ready. I, along with everyone else in this class, have never lived in a world without media. This is our normal. As a Mass Communication major, I know I will continue to use technology probably until the day I can't see or hold a phone in my hand anymore.

I start my day to the sound of the chiming alarm clock on my phone. Usually, I reach over a few times to swipe the snooze button before I finally get the motivation to roll out of bed. The first thing I do when I wake up is grab my phone from my desk and scroll through my various social media apps. I usually open Snapchat first to see if my boyfriend or my friends from back home have sent me messages in the past 8 hours or so. I always make sure to keep up my "streaks" with my friends. The highest streak I currently have is 215 days with my friend Aiden. My mom always shoots me a good morning text to ensure I'm awake, and I respond with a gif of sunshine or a sleepy animal. I also frequently use the Remind app to keep up with the groups I'm in such as the band clarinet section, my Honors Seminar class, and my church group. I also check the BAND app frequently to see if there are any announcements from my band directors.

My roommate recently moved to a private room, - she said that I was a fabulous roommate, but she just wanted her own space - so I don't have to worry as much about making a lot of noise in the morning. I shuffle through my "Liked Songs" playlist on Spotify to set the tone and get me energized for the day. Spotify has been my main music-streaming app ever since seventh grade. It was one of the first apps I ever got on my phone (after I switched from Pandora). I bought Spotify Premium a few weeks ago, so I don't have to worry about any ads interrupting my jam session. I listen to a wide variety of music including pop, heavy metal, and alternative rock or pop rock.  While I get ready for class, I use social media pretty much the entire time to check up on my boyfriend and my friends since they begin the school day before I do. 

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I usually listen to music on my phone while I walk to my 9 a.m. class Honors Seminar class in Overstreet. While I’m in this class, I usually check my email frequently through Outlook and check Blackboard for any updates for my other classes. Dr. Kardas uses the Honors Seminar website to give presentations over various topics, and groups of students use Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint to give presentations as well. I then head over to World History I at 10 a.m. and use Microsoft PowerPoint to keep up with my professor and take notes on ancient civilizations like Egypt and Mesopotamia. I’ll be honest and admit that I check my phone usually every 10 minutes during my classes - typically to respond to messages on Snapchat or scroll through Instagram. I have a one-hour break after History before band practice, so I usually head to the cafeteria for some food. I often listen to music through Spotify during lunch.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I drive to class so that I'll have my car to make it to the football field for band practice on time. My first two classes are in Overstreet, and during the short drive there I always listen to music through the Bluetooth connection from my phone to the car radio. In my 9:30 a.m. Intro to Public Speaking class, I use my laptop frequently to check my email or develop an outline for an upcoming speech. Professor Murphy always uses media such as KeyNote presentations to inform us about different speech types and the topics we might want to choose for our next speech to the class. My second class is Professor Reppert's Intro to Mass Communication, so we are always using some form of media there. I typically review my work on Google Blogger in that class and take note of any changes I might need to make. As I drive over to band practice at 12:20, I listen to more music in my car.

After all my classes are done, I usually head back to my dorm room to do homework or catch up on assignments for the week. I have a laptop, and I continue to use apps like Google Docs, Blackboard, and Outlook to keep up with all my work. If I have any free time, I browse YouTube or find a random movie to watch on Netflix. I also watch anime sometimes using my Crunchyroll account. Media has become a vital part of my personal and educational life, and I cannot imagine a world without it. Where would we be without YouTube videos about tips to increase your ACT score, replace the battery on your car, or tips to help with job interviews? Where would be without movie theaters to go on that awkward first date with your crush, or search engines like Google to figure out that test question that we definitely didn't study for? Our lives seem to be dependent on media and electronic devices. Research into my technology use really showed me how much I rely on technology and social media in my daily life. What will technology look like in the future? How much will media change by the time our children go to college? Our grandchildren?