Three Semester Review
A reflection on my time in scholars.
These last three semesters in scholars have been incredibly interesting and informative. It has been a great start to my college career and I cannot be more grateful for the friends that I have made and the experiences that I have had through scholars. One of the most impactful experiences I have had would be the ways I was able to connect with my classmates and fellow scholars even though I spent my first year online. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, I spent most of my time feeling isolated. However, I was always excited to participate in conversations during colloquium as a freshman, and I was so comforted to have a safe space to share how I was feeling. Additionally, my experiences as a peer mentor have been extremely impactful. I was able to make close friends as a peer mentor, and going through the training with other people in my scholars program was a great way to break the ice with my first semester of in-person classes starting up. I was able to form bonds with the freshmen that I mentored as well as with the other mentors. Many of the group projects and activities that we engaged in during class especially this last semester have been so much fun, particularly the podcast we put together with our interest groups, the critical analysis assignment, and the group project that I did on Hollywood’s issue with meaningful LGBTQ+ representation.
Below is a podcast I recorded with one of my good friends, Melissa Thomas, a fellow media scholars student. We watched the film "The Half of It" and gave a review and analysis based on it's abilities to defy traditional stereotypes in film.
I have greatly enjoyed being able to pursue passions and interests that I have outside of my major in an academic setting. Researching on LGBTQ+ representation as a queer woman of color has been enlightening, and the fact that I was able to do so with my peers was a gift. I have very infrequently been able to study something so specific that I enjoy so much.
I believe that media itself has a major role in my life and in our society that I myself have and will continue to engage in. Especially throughout the pandemic, I have had to rely on media for almost every social aspect of my life. I was only able to communicate with my friends through my phone, and one of the main ways that I was able to know what was going on with the pandemic was through social media and television. Additionally, with the election and the Black Lives Matter movement, a lot of awareness and information was spread online as well. Digital activism became a key part of our society, because in-person activism was no longer accessible for the majority of people. When I first entered media scholars, I did not acknowledge or fully grasp the power that media has over people. I accepted it as a part of my everyday life and the everyday lives of many other individuals, but I did not see it as a tool and a device for change the way I do now. Prior to joining Media Scholars, I completed a research study on the impact of social media on the mental health of teenagers. This study concluded that social media was, in the eyes of teenagers, a source of both good and bad. Looking back now, I see that the study failed to acknowledge the depth that all media has in its ability to reflect reality back magnified by ten-fold. Social media itself is known for worsening body-image and causing insecurities, particularly in younger people. However, social media is only a representation of the opinions, standards, and perspectives that are upheld by individuals and corporations that exist in real life. The problem is not simply that social media exists or is functioning a certain way; the problem is that society is deeply flawed and social media is a tool to amplify the standards that already are a part of it. News media often presents a dramaticized and simplified perspective on what is important and necessary to be shown each day. Each news source makes their own decisions on what is relevant. Regardless, media has a tendency to present a highly concentrated version of reality, which can be overwhelming and distressing to many. Ultimately, media is a warped version of reality that magnifies and highlights issues that already exist.
My intended career field is in either the field of medicine or pharmacy. Either way, there will be plenty of interaction with patients and individuals outside of face-to-face. In the healthcare field, there is a major issue with the fact that many primary care providers are given little time with their patients. For this reason, information about healthcare concerns needs to be provided in other ways, such as with brochures, pamphlets, etc. Like any kind of practitioner, I will need to be well-versed in how to best inform patients. Additionally, with the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become increasingly clear how the media can impact individuals’ health decisions. It will be an essential part of my job, whichever field I enter, to be a source of information for my patients. As technology develops, it is likely that there will be an increase in misinformation. This means that I will need to utilize media myself, as a provider, in order to make sure that the right information gets to the right people. I will likely use social media as an adult, and as a professional, I will also have to use it to promote my business or my practice. Social media will continue to incorporate itself into society. I will also need to be able to be personable and remain in touch with people in a way that keeps me familiar and trustworthy in the eyes of my patients. The skills I have learned in media scholars will help me know what is accurate and what is not and will also help me to understand the best ways to share what I know. Ultimately, no matter what field I go into, media and the lessons that I have learned in media scholars will always be an essential part of my life.
