As my Media Law & Literacy class comes to a close, I've gained a wealth of knowledge that I'll put to good use in the future. Despite the fact that we learnt a lot in this class, there was always a consistent theme, which was technology.
Growing up in the age of social media and technology has had both positive and negative consequences. My generation grew up with the introduction of the iPhone, laptops, and social media. Although these advancements have had a great effect on the world, they have also had a negative impact.
Technology's Benefits
I came to High Point University with the intention of majoring in Computer Science, but I despised it. For a time, I dropped that major and went undeclared. When it came time to choose a major, I wanted to choose something in which I excel and am well-versed. Strategic Communication, with a minor in Social Media Marketing, was my choice. Because I grew up in the world of social media, I picked this minor. I've had Instagram when it first launched in 2010. Ever since beginning in 2011, I've had Snapchat as well. I'm familiar with these apps and am aware of trends, so I felt getting this minor would be easy. That is only one of the many ways in which technology has benefited me.
The Negative Aspects of Technology
Clearly, technology has had an impact on my mental health. I'm sure I'd feel a lot better if we didn't have all of these high-tech phones with all of these applications. I have a lot of screen time, which concerns me because it demonstrates how addicted I am to my phone. When I don't have my phone, I feel completely lost. I know I can go without my phone for a long because I went to summer camp without one for 8 weeks, but now I feel like it's the only thing that keeps me calm while it's in my hand. I don't want this thing to have influence over me, and I shouldn't let it, but it's all I've ever known, and that's the sad part. Because I'll be up all night texting my friends or going through my social media apps, technology has had a significant impact on my capacity to sleep at night. I could go on and on about how technology has harmed me, but I believe sleep is the most significant. I used to be able to go to bed by 10:15-10:30PM in high school, but since starting college, the earliest I've gone to sleep was 11:30PM. It's unfortunate that I let my phone dictate my life; nevertheless, writing about it has served as a wake-up call.
Is My Relationship with Technology Healthy?
I consider this subject on a regular basis because I rely on technology for a variety of tasks, but it all comes down to how I utilize it. When it comes to academics, I have a healthy relationship with technology because I rely on my laptop for everything. It's needed for me to write papers, take exams, and so much more. I believe it is healthy for my future because I want to be a social media manager/marketer, and I know I'll need my laptop to schedule social media content, create content, and send emails. Those are two of the most important reasons for me to believe I have a positive connection with technology.When it comes to social media, though, I believe I have a negative connection with technology. It has a significant impact on my sleep and overall mental health. It has complete influence over me; whenever I receive a notification, I have to check it to see who sent it.
I've gradually begun to reduce my technology usage and become less reliant on my phone. For example, I've started setting my phone to "Do not disturb," which prevents any notifications from making a noise or appearing on the screen. This has given me more control over how and when I use my phone. It's disturbing to think about all the negative effects technology has had on me after publishing this blog. I intend to try to correct it, and I will.
No comments:
Post a Comment