As my semester comes to a close (one month left!) I slowly realized that I didn't have the semester I sought out to achieve. Don't get me wrong I had an amazing last semester of College- I got to do the job that I love, meet new people, hang out with my friends, and even travel. It truly was a great way to go out. BUT. I didn't get to do all the things on my Boone Bucket list- time just slipped through my fingers and now all I want to do is walk that stage in December. Yet, I am left wondering will I regret not fulfilling all my goals? Will I question why I didn't get to succeed in relishing in being a college student one last time? Will I fear my next step?
I guess I won't really know until I move that tassel over and shake Chancellor Peacocks hand one last time.
I can say this with confidence I am ready to graduate and head towards my…deepest fear…greatness!
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays (right behind Christmas of course...) and yet October is almost officially over. My roommate constantly reminds me as the days wind day, "Hey...October is over" Now, this may not seem like a big deal to most people, but for me with one month of school left it is.
I am constantly asking myself where the time went! I hardly got the chance to watch the amount of terrifyingly scary movies I wanted to, nor am I even going to get the chance to dress up for the holiday or pass out due to a sugar coma. It really is crazy how fast this month went....I can only imagine how quickly next month will go as I will be walking that stage on December 14.
The excitement is almost overwhelming. BUT. I would love to turn around and enjoy October a little bit more and take in the ghosts, scary stories, candy, pumpkins and insane movies.
So in the spirit of Halloween here are some terrifyingly funny clips to make your day and to keep reminding you.....
For my creative one-pager I chose the topic of "Anywhere, Anytime"-- for this topic I created a short video that depicts students and faculty members on Appalachian State University's campus using electronic devices at any point in time at any location of their liking.
Here is my short video:
Here is my presentation explaining why I chose this specific topic, the method of using photographs and statistics, and what I hoped to ultimately achieve by creating the video:
The transcription of this video is as follows:
For my one-pager I chose the topic of: Anywhere, Anytime. As I evaluated that term I immediately thought of how individuals today are constantly surrounded by phones, computers, iPads, tablets and the list goes on. I was instantly brought to the fact that our society today is driven by the "anywhere, anytime" use of social media, emails, work, and school in general. In order to show individuals this I decided to create a short video that depicted students and faculty members on Appalachian State University's campus using their phones, laptops, or tablets.
I chose to take pictures during times where it was either appropriate to be using an electronic device like the ones I mentioned, as well as times where it would be considered rude. These instances range from relaxing in the solarium in between classes, walking to class, sitting in the library doing work, all the way to texting and emailing during class, talking on the phone in line at the coffee shop and so forth.
In addition to these photos I also incorporated statistics about individual usage of social media like, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. These statistics are meant to help put the pictures into context with the theme of anywhere, anytime. This is evident through the fact that people are CONSTANTLY checking their phones, tablets and laptops. An example of one of the stats I found states: "250 million pictures are uploaded to Facebook everyday," as well as "...there are 175 million tweets sent from Twitter every day". Therefore, individuals truly are spending any and all time in and at any location of their liking tweeting, updating their Facebook, checking their email and so forth.
Ultimately, what I wanted to share with viewers was the fact that we as a society are too enthralled with the immediacy of social media, thus we use it at any point in time at any place or location (whether it is appropriate or not). I purposely ended my video sharing with viewers three steps they can take to reduce this addiction: take a break, lurk less, and edit yourself. Through these three steps individuals will be able to reevaluate their perception of social media, and possibly the control it has over them. Hopefully, viewers of this short will be able to step away from their electronic devices to instead have a personal conversation with someone or spend time outside separated from any form of media that may make them feel stressed and overwhelmed. As a result-- maybe there will be one day where individuals will no longer immediately and constantly check their social media outlets or electronic devices.
I hope that through this video, there will be one day where we will no longer be defined by our anywhere, anytime mindsets and instead by our personal and interpersonal connections. Although, the questions remains as to whether that will ever be possible or whether individuals today truly even care or understand the control their media and electronics have over them!
Works Cited:
Honigman, Brian. "100 Fascinating Social Media Statistics and Figures From 2012." The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2013.
Tell, Caroline. "Step Away From the Phone!" New York Times 22 Sept. 2013: 1(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 6 Oct. 2013.
Tomlin, Cassie. "#takeitoffline: detox from your social media addiction." Natural Health July-Aug. 2013: 96. Academic OneFile. Web. 6 Oct. 2013.
Wortham, Jenna. "Life as instant replay, over and over again." New York Times 22 Sept. 2013: 4(L).
As I sit here I can see the blue radiating off of the Blue Ridge Mountains and it still (after four years) takes my breathe away. It is these mountains that pulled me and and made me stay here at App. My only worry is what I am going to do without them... I really don't know what next year is going to bring, but the pure fact that these mountains won't be in my vision every single day will most likely be the hardest thing I'll have to deal with. (It may be harder then just leaving App...)
The issue is that I forget they are there until nights like tonight where they are literally so blue I can see them from a mile away. It's moments like this that remind me to get off my butt and get outside.. All I want to do and all I've been wanting to do for the past week is to take a hike or go camping and tackle the outdoors-- because who knows when that snow is going to come. But the problem is reality hits in and I remember EVERY single other thing that I have to do.
It's this "instantaneous" life we lead that keeps pulling me back from running into the woods and onto this computer. Hopefully, there will be one moment or day that will let me forget about all the papers, applications, presentations, and meetings I have...
all I want is to revert back into being a Boonie... and never lose those mountains.
As I stated in a previous blog I love acknowledging people for all the work they do-- I feel that appreciation is one of the best ways to promote a positive well-being.
Well. Today is one of those days where I feel that everyone needs to be told how great they are-- even if they may not believe it (BUT in reality everyone will do something today, tomorrow, or the next day that will make such a large impact on someone, something, and maybe themselves)
Personally, I hope to do something today to make such an impact. I want to share my happiness with other people, and this is something I sometimes forget to do. Actually, I think this is something all people forget to do. I think that people forget this because people are so inundated with their work, and succeeding in what they are doing rather then taking the time to recognize the others who help them. This, though is not a horrible thing, but this focus quickly overtakes individual and team recognition.
Thus, people need to always be reminded not only that they are GREAT, but also that they need to take that greatness and share it with others.
So, constantly remind yourself....to pay it forward... and to crush the shoulders of giants.
These past two weeks have been a blur, which for some reason has begun to feel "normal". This whole year seems to be flying by! And I am constantly reminded that I am a senior and that this year is the last one I will have here. Yet, that feeling brings such excitement. The future or well next semester may seem terrifying but why?
Is it because society sets us up to think that you have to have a job right after you graduate?
or because my family pushes me constantly to succeed?
or because we as a people cannot see the justification of taking a "break" or "vacation"? (maybe that one is just me)
Honestly, I don't know- I think we are conditioned at a very young age to be "great" and to do amazing things (eg. Generation on a Tightrope). The questions remains: how we are meant to do those things?
I guess my point with this blog is that as time runs out our desire to be great does not, so how then can we reach the level we want to without having all the time in the world to reach it?
Time as a constant seems to define our reality. I wonder then can we ever reach the reality we desire if there isn't any time (or if we believe that we as a people do not have enough time)? I mean look at how people define life in its relation to time:
Live every day as if it's your last;
Live. Laugh. Love;
Live life to the fullest;
Live as if you were to die tomorrow
Why is it that we associate with not having enough time to death? Why can it not simply be related to living a happy, healthy life? Maybe the answer stems from the fact that we fear the unknown, which is odd since every, single day is a constant unknown.
I'll end with this....just wake me up...(because apparently sleep really is for the dead)
