Bored with Social Media

For as long as I can remember I have used social media as a means of escapism, but as I work to become more mindful, I have come to realize that, honestly, I don’t like social media that much. Twitter was never for me and I use Facebook as a tool to connect and keep up with family and a few friends, but with YouTube and Instagram I find myself bored and unsatisfied with the content on my feed. I ask myself, is this an improvement, a sign that I am moving towards better habits and a healthier relationship with social media? Or is my dissatisfaction a sign that my attention span has shrunk to a new low without my realizing it?

A Vision of Students in 2018

This coming week marks the end of my work as a part of CMNS 150, and with it, the completion of our final assignment 'A Vision of Students in 2018'.
The project was inspired by Michael Wesch's 2007 video 'A Vision of Students today'. For this project, our class of about 30 collaborated on a Google doc to share our experiences as students in 2018, which we then used to produce this video.
We worked in groups of 3 in which we had the freedom to choose the messages as we see fit, so, after clicking on the links above, be sure to check out the linked blogs to see other videos from my class.

Subject of Interest: Gabriele Galimberti's photo series

I first encountered Gabriele Galimberti's work when a photo and caption from his series Toy Stories was featured on National Geographic's Instagram page, and have followed him since. Galimberti works usually consist of him traveling the world and capturing people from across cultures sharing a common theme, showcasing the commonality the people across cultures.
My favorite of his series thus far has been Fathers. It is both fascinating and heartwarming to read about the relationships and traditions between father and child. I have also been looking more into the series Couchsurfing, and recommend In Her Kitchen featuring grandmas and their signature recipes!
Gabriele Galimberti: Projects

Connected but Alone: A Response to Sherry Turkle on TED Talk

Recently, my phone was broken, and I went without for several weeks and found the experience freeing. I liked being disconnected and walking down the street, alone with my thoughts and aware that I was completely in the moment. At the same time, I have had experiences like the one Turkle gave with her daughter and her friends, however, I have also sat like that in a chatroom, watching a movie with a dozen other people from all over the world, talking and connecting. I feel as though technology is like having a drink at a bar, it can be a social lubricant, giving you an opportunity (and maybe confidence) to connect with other people, however it can also be dangerous and consuming when it becomes an addiction, leaving you, as Turkle says, isolated.

Photo Essay: The Challenges of a New Canadian

Subject of Interest: The Science of Sleep

I have had a complex relationship with sleep. I have suffered from insomnia since I was a baby - much to the frustration of my parents and their neighbors, and then, as a teenager, would sleep the day away until the mid afternoon. It is only recently that I can say that I have a good relationship with sleep. "I'm getting old." I say to my boyfriend because I am ready and in bed before midnight so I can wake up at 6am the next day. In this article, National Geographic delves into the importance of good sleep and what the effects of neglecting rest can be - something many of us are guilty of.  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/08/science-of-sleep/