Unit 2 Portfolio

It seems like social media has been around for years, from MySpace to the creation of Snapchat, the world of technology around us is transforming. Kids are getting smartphones at younger ages, parents and even grandparents are using social media to keep up with their friends and family, and there are so many ways to use technology, even ways that people have yet to figure out. I believe that social media and the smartphones we are equipped with take up a huge portion of our lives on this planet and while this may send a negative connotation, I do not believe it is negatively impacting us in the way of writing and communication between others, it in fact is more beneficial.

To better comprehend my claims, I first took the time to interview some of my teammates, classmates, parents, and other adults about how they use technology and social media in our day and age. Below are the attached questions and answers from others about the way they use their technology:

1. How do you like to interact on or use instagram?
- "I use instagram to keep up with basketball recruiting and to post pictures of myself. I like to use it to communicate through direct messages too, especially with my friends from home."
- "I use instagram primarily to look at celebrities and other people's lives."
-"Instagram is my favorite app because of all of its features. It is a better facebook."

2. How do you like to interact on or use snapchat?
"I got snapchat when it first came out. I use it to keep up with all of my high school friends while we're at college."
"I use snapchat to send funny pictures and videos to my friends"
"Snapchat helps me communicate with girls when I first meet them"

3. How do you like to interact on or use twitter?
"Twitter is dead to me. I haven't used it since I was in middle school"
"I use twitter to check on Syracuse basketball articles, all things related to Syracuse sports really."
"Compared to snapchat and instagram, I never even use twitter to be honest."

4. Do you always have your phone on you and why?
"I always have my phone on me I can't live without it. From texting to social media to all things I like feeling involved."
"I can't remember the last time I did not have my phone with me. I need it for everyday things."
"I lost my phone one time for a day and I remember how lost I felt, but also refreshed. It was almost as if I had a new life lol. But, when I have my phone, I am always on it."

The reason I decided to infiltrate these quotes onto my blog is so people would feel more connected with others when they are discussing social media and how they use it. 

I found all of my responses to be pretty similar to what I thought they would be. When I asked people about instagram, they were more eager to talk about it because I think it is the most popular app used by millennials. As I went down the line of top social media platforms today, twitter was rarely talked about and snapchat was deemed as a way to talk to their friends, instead of just texting. It was surprising to see how similar some of my friends answers were to each corresponding social media. I also assumed that snapchat would be talked about a little more in terms of use, but it seems as if instagram still is the most popular app.

Social media helps us communicate with each other in a distinctive way
Communication in today's world is quick and instant. Your phone tends to buzz with every notification, whether that is through email, text messages, direct messages, and much more. You can communicate with others across the world by the touch of your fingertips to a screen. You see teachers have their students put their phones in their backpacks before class starts or when you sit down at dinner you may have your parents ask you to put your phone away because it is a "distraction". Personally, I do not find phones to be a distraction, but more of a method to communicate and learn from others. Being quick and efficient in the world today, is the new method. I mean look, you can even order groceries on your phone and have them delivered. Who wouldn't want that in their lives when they have thousands of things going on?

Social media is a new language
I can only speak for myself when it comes to this, but I know people will agree when I say social media is a new language. The way pictures are snapped back and forth between people, the way texts are spelled differently, the way new words are formed through text, and much more are just small examples of this happened. An article on Instance Census touches on this when Dr. Caroline Tagg explains that the language of texts is closer to spoken word than writing, as it includes verbal pauses and interjections. It falls somewhere between speech and formal writing. Professor John McWhorter of Columbia University goes even farther, calling texting a form of spoken language. According to McWhorter, writing is an artifice, while text is “fingered speech” — much looser and reflective than formal writing, and in much shorter "packets" of words. Abbreviations that began in SMS messages such as “lol” have become words in their own right, with connotations outside of their original unabbreviated meanings (when was the last time you laughed out loud before typing “lol”?). Texting is not “bad” language, it’s just new language. While teachers and parents complain about the lack of "proper" English in emails, texts, tweets, and captions, it is more of a new language than not using the proper form of it. 

The power of the smartphone 
The smartphone is essential to social media because without the smartphone, most social medias would not be relevant or functional. Some may see a group of people walking around campus on their phones as "selfish and disconnected" from everything around them, but really nobody knows what could be going on inside of that smart device. There have been times where I'm using social media to direct message a classmate about homework because I missed the last class due to travel or I am speaking with a recruit and his decision on where he wants to play in college next year. Lots of things go on besides scrolling through a feed and just wishing your life was someone else's that you see online. Northeastern performed a study in 2016 (yes, that was three years ago) about smartphones and labeled the article on it, "Smartphones: A Supercomputer in your Pocket". If the title itself does not make you understand what a smartphone is and what it can do, the end of the opening introductory paragraph is "Today the smartphone in your pocket has more computing power than all of NASA when it put the first men on the moon in 1969". The smartphone and what goes on inside of it has limitless capabilities. It is truly unique. 

Is too much social media ever too much?
To simply answer this question, yes. Yes, there is such thing as too much social media and too much technology. To simply get around this dilemma, all that needs to be done is you as a person need to know when to put your phone down! There is a new app on all new iPhones called "Screentime" and it tracks up to every second that you have spent on your phone the past week. It then updates weekly, will show you monthly and yearly, as time is prompted. For you to better understand this I will list the amount of time I spent on my phone last week (keep in mind that I was in Utah for the NCAA Tournament, so I was probably constantly on my phone checking for bus updates, game times, texts from coaches, etc.)

                              Instagram: 7 Hours                        Safari: 1 hour

                              Twitter: 2 Hours                             Youtube: 2 hours
                              Snapchat: 2 Hours                         Music: 2 hours 
                             iMessage: 10 Hours                       FaceTime: 40 minutes

To be honest, these numbers even concern myself a little bit, but I will use travel as an excuse with flights and bus time, all of that. You can even manage on your phone now the ability to turn off applications, so you only use them for an hour a day (I might have to look into that). 

Tim Elmore, a writer for Psychology Today, touched on symptoms of relying on social media and being addicted to smartphones. He said people can be aware of things they did not need to know about way before they need to know them. He suggests that knowing when and where to put the phone down will help with their overall understanding of being "in the moment". He does not necessarily think that phones are the cause of awkward conversations or ones inability to hold a conversation, but it could lead to this if people are not careful. 

Ending Words

Social media has tons of benefits to our culture and world by the way it has been created. Many opportunities may present themselves through social media and it comes from all types of different creations. 

- it builds relationships with other people

- allows you to stay connected with your friends 

- make money for yourself through advertisements

- laugh

- be creative 

- build an image for yourself that you like

- meet important figures in life 

- learn 

- sending your own thoughts in seconds 

- it changes the way you can communicate with others 

Social media is only growing and helping all types of problems be solved in this world. Take advantage of the positive side and try not to be coerced in the negative direction. If you know when it is the right time vs. when it is the wrong time to be on your phone or using social media, then you will only be benefited from its amazing opportunities. 

Finally, with all of this being said, my phone has too many notifications for me not to check it. I have been in the library for some time now trying to frantically finish my 2,000 words. Complaining to friends through texts or from them asking where I am, I am still connected even though my biggest connection seems to be with this blog post. I am thankful for all the opportunities social media and technology has decided to give me because without it, I would probably be more lost in this world.