Final Blog Post: Auditing my Online Presence

    When looking at my personal online footprint I would say it is significantly large. I have been on social media since I was 13 and became active around the age of 15. I have used platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Youtube for over 6 years of my life. Along with growing up as the internet and social media have been growing alongside me. I have a personal website that I have created for educational purposes, my blogger account. On this website I post assignments I have completed along with work that I am proud of keeping a portfolio in website form. Evolving with the media has caused me to create a large digital footprint myself over the years. 

On a daily basis I use the platforms Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, Youtube and Facebook. I have used these and check on them daily for as long as I can remember. I post on Instagram and facebook pictures of my friends and I and fun things we do. I also post on snapchat random things I do throughout my week I find entertaining or funny for my friends to see. I also use LinkedIn for a professional platform, to network and expand my connections. I have for as long as I can remember have updated these platforms, with age I update them less frequently yet I still do check and see what my friends post. I have never found a concern with my usage of social media as I did not create a toxic addiction to the platforms. I purely use them to check up on friends and family and post about my life to keep them updated. I could delete all my social media and not care because I have no connection to the validation social media gives others. I purely want to be kept in the loop of my personal friends and families lives along with keeping up to date with trends and news within the media. 

I feel as if a visitor would glean across my profile I would seem like any other typical 21 year old woman. I post pictures of what my friends and I do along with some images of myself. I do not keep a theme on any of my platforms like others do as I post what I want when I want. I do not think most people portray their lives realistic through the media and I like to keep it real. No fancy filters or captions just me and my friends and whatever I am doing. I find it hard to watch people of my demographic crying and becoming upset if they don't get a certain amount of likes and or comments on their posts. This is the validation factor I mentioned previously, as this is what many have social media for. Creating a toxic relationship with the media is something I did not want to do and knew I could fall into that cycle easily as a teenager. Setting boundaries with myself within the media was essential. 

I have given all my information to all my social media platforms and websites purely because I didn't think twice about it. I never thought anything of it when creating my accounts along with giving my email and number to companies. Those two things seem so impersonal to me from a broad perspective yet over time I have grown some concerns with doing so. My phone number can be traced, which I had no clue about before when I was 13 making my instagram account. Social media sites use this as a backup method when forgetting your username or passwords yet it is just a way of them getting more personal information about you. I wish I did not give my number to social media platforms along with companies I purchase from. Just by doing that I could decrease my digital footprint, yet once it is in the world it is out there, which is the scariest part of the media. 

I do believe that social media can cause depression and make individuals feel lonely and or isolated. Some people's whole life is purely lived through media and only on media. You can create a very false illusion through the media and what you are posting, people could think you are the happiest person in the world yet you are hurting on the inside. People can isolate themselves from the world yet be such a big part of it through the media. Loneliness is also something that I feel many experience through social media as they are looking at pictures of others with their friends having fun while they could be scrolling alone on their couch. The issue of comparing yourself to others is very prominent in today's society especially when looking at social media platforms. I see the depression factor of the media coming from comments and words said about others from behind the screen. Anyone can say anything they want from behind their screen and not care about the person on the other side. There is a very toxic culture blowing through the media now and it needs to be changed. Yet the only way to do that would be through the mindset of the users.

Blog #10 ETO Terms and Concepts (Alternative Media)

 Alternative media is not something I knew about whatsoever before doing research on the topic. This is the first problem when it comes to today's society as I am one of many that would have no clue when asked what alternative media is. By definition alternative media is “Newspapers, magazines, radio stations, or online media which are not corporately owned and which circulate political messages felt to be under-represented in ‘mainstream media’ (seen as geared towards maximizing profits and supporting a ‘free-trade’ agenda).” Alternative media gives the opportunity for news that is not typically broadcasted a place to shine and be seen. There are thousands of sources giving information on topics the media is trying to cover up and push away. Many individuals are turning to alternative media to avoid fake news as they believe this is the most reliable form to receive and perceive media. Alternative Media forms change depending on what is considered “mainstream” or what is on trend. This form of media can come in the form of print, digital, audio and or video. Alternative media gives the opportunity for those voices and events that go unheard or pushed away. There are so many things that we have no clue about as Americans that are going on within our country. Being educated and knowing what is going on is our civic duty and the government is continuously taking that away from us.

After researching and reviewing some alternative media sources it blew my mind how much I didn’t know. I would consider myself a fairly informed individual as I try my best to keep up to date with things going on within our country. I never knew and or even thought of half of the things that I read while researching. I came across a source of alternative media called South Front, a popular sight and form of alternative media. South Front is an organization that is 100% funded by supporters and readers, and provides the world with daily updates on everything happening with the Syrian War. They provide information that corporate media does not want people to know, yet they broadcast everything being transparent. Transparency is something many look for when seeking news outlets as everyone is searching for those that are reliable. I had no clue about anything going on in Syria as the mainstream news does not keep up to date with those events. Yet there are so many sights that are niche in the way that they are focused on one thing going on within our country and publishing anything and everything being transparent with the reader. There are so many more sights and forms of alternative media that individuals check up daily on. When asking a wide range of people from different demographics many did not even know what alternative media was let alone any of the topics discussed within this type of media. If alternative media became more prevalent and normalized within society the government would feel as if they lost control. As they have control over all media they do not have control over this type as it is simply individual exercising their first amendment. Being informed and staying informed in today's society is important, and alternative media can help those who may not be informed get informed. A simple google search and you have a world of media you never would have thought of. Alternative media is transparent and is a way to give those who want to know what is going on with the world a place to get informed and or inform others. 

Link to Presentation

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South Front

Blog #9- Privacy

 After listening to the assigned TedTalks it is hard to believe the little to no privacy we have, even if we think we do. Growing up in an era that technology was developing gave me some sort of insight on how to behave and treat the internet. It was always ingrained into my head that you can never take something you have posted online away. Whatever I wanted to post online, I always had to ask myself am I ok with this being permanent and the world being able to see it. This from the start put a bad taste into my mouth when it came to any sort of social media platform as I saw no benefit as a 13 year old when the media started booming. Yet as time went on and the more people that began to create an online presence started to make me feel okay about it. Privacy being invaded on social media and just the internet in general has been a common theme while growing up. My friends and I used to google our names constantly because we wanted to see what would show up after googling. The friends that were careless and posted and or were tagged in photos they didn't want many to see were broadcasted to anyone who typed their first and last name into a search bar. This terrified me and I have always been conscious of what I put out on the internet under my name. 

Nowadays it is common to talk about your “fbi agent”, this is someone we believe is listening to us all the time through our devices. This seems too good to be true as curated advertisements became scary. Advertisements for products I have spoken to my mother about pop up on her feed and mine just purely off of a verbal conversation. This is not normal and is frightening to many who don't know how their facebook feed would know they are in the market for a new coffee machine. Anything and everything is always listening, trying to get you to buy their product is the number one priority. The tricky part about this all is agreeing to the terms and conditions on any internet sight. This is something everyone clicks over as they just want to get into the app and skip over the terms. With a click of a button you subconsciously are just giving them all your information and privacy on a silver platter. Large platforms such as Facebook and YouTube hide clauses about the lack of privacy within these terms and conditions as they know no one looks closely enough to them. When it comes to current day internet and privacy you just have to assume and expect there is none. People have coped with or thrown the idea out of their head that they have no privacy when having an online presence. Yet, some people find it worth it to maintain a presence in the media, and or just don't care. I will find it interesting to see how the media evolves and if this issue of privacy on the internet will ever be resolved.

Blog Post #8- Diffusion of Innovation

 

The evolution of the platform Facebook will continue to amaze me, as it is now the most used social media platform with 2.3 billion users. Facebook started off with four college guys with an idea for an app. The app started off as a rating app of the attractiveness of peers at their college. This app was a start to a great new beginning for these men, yet after two days their university shut down their app due to violations of student conduct. Their app was a major success and within the two days of it being up it spread like wildfire. These users are the early adopters as they were the first to be interested and download the platform. They continued on with the app and registered Facebook.com in February of 2004. This website was a space where college students could upload pictures and status updates, something many have never seen before. The early majority continued to grow as college students within ivy league universities began to flood onto the site. As the platform continued to grow by the end of 2004 there were over 100 million users. This platform was still exclusive only to those in college and not to anyone else outside of that bracket. Two years later in 2006 the platform was released to all above the age of 13, making it easily accessible to many. These are the late adopters, as they have not experienced and or been able to join the platform. Being established for over  years they generated a foundation that they could up and run with. This could be seen as a downside as the platform was not accessible to all that wanted to join. Yet this allowed Facebook to grow first and gain credibility. Technology can always be seen as a negative within individuals day to day life. Yet Facebook can be seen as a platform that can keep family and friends connected and updated though a click of a button. Many use the platform purely for keeping up with the lives of their friends and family, yet some use it for entertainment. Along with the fact that Facebook has become a megahub for advertising and marketing. Screen time is important to keep at a minimum yet for some this could be their only way of contacting and or keeping updated with some family. Many individuals make the choice to stay off of social media, as that is their personal choice. I understand the want to stay off social media platforms as they can become toxic and consume daily lives. The issue of identity theft is also something that people may steer clear of social media for. Yet if you are safe and have a good intention when downloading the platform self control could be established. Facebook is an amazing way to stay connected with family and friends within the palm of your hands, especially in times like now. In a global pandemic you may not be able to see all your friends and or family regularly, this platform allows those who cannot connect to connect. In my opinion the negatives of the platform would outway the positives. Having a hub of communication with your loved ones is something not many platforms have been able to do before Facebook. Staying connected and informed is easy and can be safe if you are careful with who you are friends with on the platform. I would compare Facebook to a reunion of your close family and friends but virtually. Scrolling through one's profile could show you the highlight reels of their past 5 years, something you would normally have to meet up and or have a conversation about. The diffusion of innovation throughout this platform was short yet booming. From a few hundred users at the beginning of 2004 to 2020 with over 2.3 billion users Facebook will only continue to grow and expand further.  

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Blog Post #7- Technology #2 (Twitter)

One of the technologies presented on was the platform Twitter. The modern day social media platform is a staple in many individuals' daily lives. This platform is one of many gen Z’s frequent and is a hub for not only entertainment but news. The app has had to evolve to get where it is today. Twitter was invented in 2006 and started off as a platform for podcast makers to interact with other podcast creators. The app was originally named “twitter” before it changed to the current name Twitter. By 2012 there were over 100 million users of the platform that were posting and checking Twitter daily. Twitter is an essential and a part of many modern day individuals' daily routine. Twitter is the main source of news for some, as they check twitter in the morning instead of turning on the morning news. The platform keeps people informed on daily activities and or news going on in real time. Sometimes Twitter is the first place news is spread, even before major news sources. The fast and easy ability to send a tweet is both a positive and negative thing. Within the matter of seconds anyone can tweet anything at any time. This is where fake news can become an issue and or biased news. People that follow one specific source can fully believe anything they post even if it is not a fact. Although this is a negative to the platform there are many positives that come to light. The accessibility to stay informed if following reliable sources is one of the main benefits of the platform. There are also communities within Twitter that interact about certain niche topics. It gives people a place where they feel like they belong and can speak freely. Twitter can give people a voice they may not have normally. Giving people the ability to speak their mind and see if others agree and or appreciate their thoughts can make someone's day. Along with the funny content that the platform provides there are so many things that make Twitter so many individuals the most used platform. Twitter has come a long way since it started as a podcast creator platform and it will continue to grow with time. 

 

Blog Post #6- Technology (Facebook)

  Facebook was founded in 2004 by  Harvard students Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. The platform hit 1 billion users in 2012 and Facebook became the largest social media platform  in the world. Facebook originally was created as a site for college students to rate the attractiveness of their peers. Yet after two short days the app was shut down due to code violations of student policy. This issue did not stop Zuckerburg as he persevered. Due to the great response of the platform, it lead Zuckerberg to register facebook.com in February of 2004. The platform allowed people to post status updates about their lives and photos. This was only exclusive to college students as it as made by students for students. By taking the status update approach and not the hot or not method the app began to spread rapidly. The platform  sparked at Harvard and spread to all the other ivy leagues, by June 2004 Facebook had over 250,000 users across college communities. And by the end of 2004 Facebook had over a million users. 

In 2006 the platform opened to others not in college over the age of 13. Just two years later in 2008 Facebook surpast MySpace and became the most visited social media site. Facebook is used to aid in political campaigns, making the word spread faster about particular candidates through advertisements. The platform is a free networking site that enables you to connect with friends all over the world with a click of a button. Facebook is free to the public yet generates revenue from advertisements daily. Facebook is the most used platform daily in the US with a 170 million users. This platform is amazing for social media marketing and is a major platform to do so.Facebook then went on to buy Instagram, Whatsapp and Oculus. Overall, from start to beginning Facebook has been a force to be reckoned with. This mega platform has expanded within itself and on to other platforms. Zuckerburg has created a media empire and will just continue to grow with time. 

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Blog Post #5: Eight Values of Free Expression

     The Eight Values of Free Expression are crucial when it comes to our first amendment rights being an American Citizen. I don't see one value meaning more than another as all of our rights and expressions as citizens should be taken seriously and with pride. The marketplace of ideas creates a structure and an outline for what we see as the basis of the countries values. All eight values speak out and are meaningful to all citizens yet they all intertwine together, making what it is to be an American. 

If freedom of speech was not in place individuals would not be individuals. No one would be able to speak their mind and or their truth. America would be seen as a very different place if we did not have the freedoms we have in place. The American Dream would not be sought after, change would not be made and voices would no longer be heard. “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave” within our countries national anthem underlines what people come to America for. Seeking a better life, opportunity and the right to speak their mind freely without consequence. 

Within the article Market Place of Ideas it speaks upon the “marketplace of ideas refers to the belief that the test of the truth or acceptance of ideas depends on their competition with one another an not on the opinion of a censor, whether or not one provided by the government or by some other authority” (Marketplace of Ideas). This reiterates freedom of speech and being able to speak your truth. The marketplace of ideas allows individuals to speak their truth and prove them to be correct. Allowing others to express themselves in belief allows for new ideas and perspectives to be brought to the table. This is beneficial to all as all of the marketplace ideas align with freedom of speech and everything it entails. 

Being able to create your own identity and path is one of the many benefits of being a citizen of the United States. This specifically aligns with the value of self-fulfillment. The promotion of tolerance is also affected by the marketplace of ides as it helps individuals see hate speech and speak out against it. Being able to respond and defend the side you choose to speak upon. This idea can also be shown within governmental power, if citizens do not speak upon where they think the government is lacking and or needs improvement upon nothing would ever get changed. Progression would not be made and laws, acts and bills would not be changed. It protects dissents and allows us as citizens to disagree with the government and speak out against it. Being able to use our voices and call out the government for what we believe they are doing wrong promoting change and growth. Overall the power that we have as citizens is something not many people in this world get to experience. Exercising your First Amendment and speaking freely is one way you as a citizen can not only better our nation yet promote change and growth. 

Everything you need to know about the most recent Instagram update.

 

  

Blog Post #4-The Progressive Era

 I have never heard anything about American Conservations or Antiwar before reading and viewing these sites. This most likely because I do not stay informed enough and or the news covers up the toxicity within today's society. The government wants to be seen in a positive light and does not want to highlight the negatives of the system. Yet we as United States citizens have the right to know the good and the bad so there can be change and action taken. Advocation is huge within today's society and is essential for change. The government can not prohibit these sources due to them being protected by their first amendment rights. These websites can continue to post and create this type of material actively using their rights. It is these citizens' duty to act on their opinions and advocate for what they believe needs to be heard and said to the public. The way the government can get around the issues of being called out is to do everything they can possibly do to hide the websites and not have them be on display on the internet. The government does not want its flaws to be pointed out and or called out in any way. The easy fix would be to prohibit said sights yet under the first amendment these citizens have the right to do so. Looking at the bigger picture, advocating for yourself and your rights is the duty of citizens within the United States. If you don't agree with the way things are today, create change, advocate for those who can't for themselves, and bring positivity to the country. If every citizen made a promise to do this the country would be in a totally different place than we are at today. Actively exercise your first amendment rights and create change. 

Work Cited:

https://www.antiwar.com

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/web-categories/realism-restraint/

Blog Post 3: Black Lives Matter Movement

 The past several months the Black Lives Matter Movement has shaken the United States in the best way possible. It has opened up many American citizen's eyes to the racism that flows throughout our country. The First Amendment states “Congress shall make no law” giving Americans freedom of speech, from religion, religion, assembly, petition, assembly, and press. This movement has encouraged the citizens of the US to do their duty and criticize the government. They have the freedom to petition and the freedom to protest against the government. Throughout the past several month's citizens have been actively advocating for the Black Lives Matter Movement exercising their First Amendment rights. There have been several debates on whether or not these citizens should be protected under the first amendment due to the massive amounts of looting and rioting. Yet statistically 93% of protests have been peaceful yet the violent ones are the only ones being showcased and emphasized. The consistent reports of looting and rioting of local businesses and looting have been the main thing highlighted by news outlets throughout this time. Not the positives of the movement and the peaceful protesting that was taken place. These citizens peacefully protesting and advocation for Black Lives Matter has been Stated by the President that it is an act protected by their first amendment. Yet those who are not taking the peaceful route are clogging news outlets. The police violence has been a major issue when looking at Black Lives Matter as a whole. The massive amount of police brutality is sickening and hurts to hear and see within the news. This violence happening at the protests while those who are peacefully protesting are protected by their First Amendment. Overall, there needs to be change for the minorities within this country. There needs to be justice, there needs to be protection.

https://blacklivesmatter.com/now-we-transform/ 

Blog Post #2: The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS)

 SCOTUS is an acronym that represents The Supreme Court of the United States of America.

 
The Supreme Court was established in 1789 when article 3 of the Constitution was created. This would make room for congress to have the ability to make decisions organizing the Supreme Court. This would be seen as a form of checks and balances. In 1789 The Judiciary Act was passed by the legislative branch. This stated that 6 justices would serve within the Supreme Court until they choose to retire and or pass away. The number of justices in the court at one time has fluctuated over the years, yet since 1869 there has been 9 within the Supreme Court. These candidates are nominated by the President of the United States and the senate either confirms or denies them. Today the US currently has 8 seats occupied by John Roberts (Chief Justice), Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas. There is currently an opening due to the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

The Supreme Court is the highest branch of the federal court within the United States of America, being the head of the judicial branch of government within the U.S. The court “has the ultimate jurisdiction over all laws within the United States and is responsible for evaluating the constitutionality of those laws.” The Supreme Court is made up of nine justices that have the ultimate power to check the other two branches of government, the executive and legislative branches. The legislative branch is a branch of congress whereas the executive is a branch of the President. The Supreme Court has a major impact on the country and has tried a plethora of important cases. The Supreme Court is the highest level of court and overall is the most impactful form of government within the United States.

Works Cited:

https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/supreme-court-facts

Simple Diverse Aesthetic. Designing made easy.

 Stubborn Interior Designs is a place where your design dreams can come true. Making designing your space simple and easy. By consulting with our companies designers we offer many unique and diverse layouts. When looking at our sample showrooms be sure to acknowledge the fact that you can truly customize anything to your liking. We have an amazing team that is dedicated to your needs and assist you with what your vision is. We at Stubborn Interior Designs are dedicated to making the space of your dreams.

 

When looking at the images shown below, try to visualize yourself in the space. Submerge yourself into the room and see what you are looking for. With different perspectives come different designs. As a team, we have a highly diverse set of designers and consultants. Bringing new and fun ideas to the table to modernize your home. Become a trendsetter, try something new with your home and space. Grow with your space, the vibe of your home is crucial for the energy and mood of your space. Being able to shoot out ideas and bring images for reference into the showroom will also be majorly helpful when it comes to finding what fits best for you. With our wide variety of in and outside home designs, your space is ready to be revamped. Showcasing your home and highlighting what you want is our main goal. Catering to your needs and providing you with endless amounts of pieces and designs, we have it all! 

Here at Stubborn Interior Designs, you come first always. With a team working around the clock we want to make your spaces yours. Customization and personality shine through designs within the home. Designing made simple is our motto as it truly is as simple as giving us a sample image and saying go! We can not wait to help you with your journey to make your space yours. 

SEO terms: Diverse, Design, Aesthetic

Apple Keynote: Social Media News Assignment 1

 

How Positivity lead me to my Passion

Growing up in a small town my ambitions and goals were small. I never wanted to leave the small state of New Hampshire nor did I think I would be anywhere near where I am today. I was comfortable in the tiny bubble I have had my entire life. I grew up with the same people, hit every life milestone, every up and every down. I never wanted to pop that bubble, I was planning on going to a state university with the same people I have been through everything with. Growing up in such a small town no one ever wanted to leave, it was perfect, safe, a constant in all of our lives. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I realized I had more potential than I would have ever thought. 

I am a passionate and driven person aiding me in achieving my life goals, I have found that these two things are essential in my field of work I hope to enter one day. I am a bubbly and happy person, you will rarely ever see me in a bad mood. Even though everyone has those days, I do as well, I am a people pleaser. I would rather see others happy than myself. Throughout my life, this has always been a blessing yet a curse. Making someone smile, laugh, and or feel comforted gives me a sense of purpose. I believe it is one of my life purposes, to make others happy. I grew up being the oldest in a big family making me grow up fast and learn to not sweat the small things in life. Being the oldest I never thought leaving home would be an option for me because I wanted to be there to watch my siblings grow up. My parents went far away from home for college and have told me countless stories about how they missed home and how they wish they stayed closer to home. This made me second guess my choice of wanting to start new and move far away from home and be independent. 

Independence is something I have always struggled with. I never thought I was capable of being by myself and being fine doing so. Making the decision to move to North Carolina and attend High Point University has been the best experience of my life. Being at High Point has helped me blossom into the person I have meant to be. It has helped me find my passion in life and ultimately what I would like to do for the rest of my life. My journey here has not been sunshine and rainbows in the slightest. I started as a Biology major and now I am a Strategic Communication major with a Social Media Marketing minor. Even though my first year here was rough academically it helped guide me to my true passion, social media marketing. 

Throughout my journey, I have become a more confident, organized, driven, and determined person. My end goal is to be with a PR firm and or any major social media platform, hopefully within the city of New York and or Boston. I would love to be in a setting that helps me grow as their company grows, making social media marketing perfect for me. Did I ever think I would be sitting here right now this being my goal, no. Two years ago I was planning on being in a hospital for the rest of my life, being in school for other five-plus years, and doing exactly what I didn’t want to do because I didn’t think it was socially acceptable to be a communication major. Being completely wrong with my assumption I am now proud to be apart of the School of Communication and more than excited for the future. Follow me along in my journey growing my passion, positivity, and myself. 

SEO: Passion, Positivity, Driven

Post 1: My Top Five Ways of Staying Informed

When evaluating my everyday routine, I had to figure out how I continue to keep myself informed without trying. Within the palm of our hand, we have one of the most powerful devices, yet no one seems to truly appreciate the value they add to our everyday life. Staying informed is crucial to living in today's society. If you are not aware of the flaws and news you are considered uneducated and as if you arent interested in the world that revolves around us. This is how I continue to be active with the help of the media.

Friends and family are one of my most used methods of staying informed and finding out what is going on in the world. From daily conversations to deep discussions about the state of our world and country I become more educated. Hearing other perspectives opens my eyes to a new way of thinking and interpreting issues and daily news. Growing up talking about politics was never discussed, I was completely oblivious of the major issues going on in the world and the country. Coming to college I was looked at as if I was uneducated and didn't care about the state of our country. I quickly realized that living under a rock wasn't going to fly here at High Point University. I started asking questions in conversations if I didn't know what was being discussed. I started adding my own perspective and having open-minded conversations. Being informed is now one of the skills I focus on now the most being a Strategic Communication major with a Social Media Marketing minor as it is crucial for my field of work I hope to enter one day. I was able to take this skill back with me to my home town and start having those conversations with friends and family. Even though my perspective may differ from my parents and or friends we have open and honest conversations. Staying educated is something I also learned to instill within my younger siblings, talking to them and communicating to them it is ok not to agree and discuss how you feel about the current state of an event. By doing this I now constantly talk about what is going on in the world on a daily basis, with friends and family staying informed and having those conversations I did not two years ago.

I stay informed on the new trends through the app Tik Tok. The trends nowadays are changing daily. Whether it is the next new hot product on the market, a new song, a dancing trend, or weird news Tik Tok provides. Just by mindlessly scrolling for hours a day I am staying informed of the trends as they come and go every 24 hours. Tik Tok is a platform that has blown up within the past 6 months and is the source for news and staying informed for most Millenials. Tik Tok continues to amaze me with what the creators decide to post. For an example of how I stay informed using the app is a crazy one. A woman jumped into the Hudson River in New York off of her boat and posted it. It instantly blew up as the Hudson is known for being very unclean and potentially infested with carcasses. As this blew up it made it onto several news sources around the country covering the story. Tik Tok was the source of this odd news, we the peopple of Tik Tok saw this video before it even hit the news. Having a platform that is updated and changing constantly provides information and news to me in ways I never thought it could.

This is her jumping into the Hudson!
Tik Tok Link

On the I-Phone there is a new software update that was released that has helped me stay even more informed without even trying. The Apple news app has now become a widget on the home screen of your Apple device if you choose to organize it that way. Every time I open up my phone a new headline appears on the front face of the widget. The news stories all have to do with what is happening in the world and the country today. I have my phone in my hand 24/7, opening and closing my phone helps me stay informed. By clicking directly on the widget it will bring me to the whole news release reading more about what is going on. Apple adding this feature will hopefully increase the number of people that stay informed on events daily within our country. Helping to expand my knowledge and perspective is one of the reasons I love this new feature. Being accessible is key with me when staying informed. 

Pictured in the top right!
Link for Apple News

Facebook believe it or not is another way I stay informed, along with many other people. Facebook is considered a more dated app among most people my age, yet I use it daily. I use the app for all my clubs and organizations I am apart of. Keeping me informed of events and tasks I have to do daily. I also stay informed through the posts and comments I see throughout the app. Whether it is a status update about someone's opinion or an article shared, I read it all. The comments and dialogue help me better understand the news and the different perspectives there are on the topic. I love reading comments on Facebook as they provide entertainment and knowledge depending on the topic being discussed. The app also keeps me informed of major events that happen throughout the week. Whether it is breaking news or the death of a famous person I see it everyday pop up on my feed. The app not only keeps me informed on current day events but with events happening with my family and friends I connected with on the app. I get notified of birthdays daily, which has saved me in many situations with friends and family. If my Facebook friends are in relationships, if there is a death and or if something fun is going on in their lives I see it all on Facebook. It is one of the most versatile and useful apps for me when staying in the loop of all daily events. 

An example of what is typically on my feed!
Facebook.com

Lastly, one of my favorite ways of staying informed is listening to my Daily Drive on Spotify. I love music and adding news into the playlist helps me stay informed by doing one of my favorite activities. I don't commute to school yet I listen to this playlist curated throughout the day. It is a mixture of music and news curated by the app. The news stories are based on the past day to catch you up to date while listening. I think this is such an easy and smart way to stay informed without even trying. When playing it in the car it sparks conversations with me and the passengers about how they feel about the current events being discussed in the playlist. This feature makes being informed accessible and effortless. The playlist is curated to play recently listen to music-making the playlist clickable. This feature is one that goes unnoticed by most but I rely on it to be informed along with a conversation started among my friends and family. 

This is what it looks like on Spotify!
Here's the link to my Daily Drive!

In conclusion, there are so many easy ways to stay informed in today's world. Having conversations that could be uncomfortable help you learn and grow as a citizen. I believe now it is our duty as a society to stay informed and educated on the world that surrounds us. I didn't realize how many avenues there are to stay informed until I thought about how I get my information. I hope that you didn't know about at least one of these examples. Stay informed!