Term Paper #1

 Mass media is a huge part of my everyday life, and honestly, I probably use it more than I realize. Between being a college student, doing sports photography, keeping up with friends, completing assignments, and just relaxing at the end of the day, I am constantly using some type of media. My phone is probably the biggest part of my daily media use, but I also use my MacBook, camera, television, and other devices throughout the day. Social media, texting, streaming, Google, Blackboard, and artificial intelligence all play different roles in my daily routine.

My day usually starts with my phone. Before I even get out of bed, I normally check my notifications and messages. I will look through Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, and my texts to see if anyone messaged me or if there is anything I missed overnight. I probably spend around 30 minutes to an hour on my phone in the morning, although I definitely do not always realize how much time I am spending. Social media is one of the easiest ways for me to catch up on what my friends are doing, see new trends, and just entertain myself before starting my day.

Once I actually get up and start getting ready for class, my phone becomes more of a practical device. I use it to check the weather, look at my schedule, listen to music, respond to texts, and sometimes check email. Since I am a college student, I also use my phone to communicate with classmates and professors when necessary. Texting is probably one of my most consistent forms of media usage because I am constantly communicating with friends and family throughout the day.

During the school day, my MacBook becomes much more important. I use it for Blackboard, Google, research, writing assignments, watching lectures, and communicating through school-related websites. I also use the Internet to find information for assignments and to keep up with things happening in the world. On an average school day, I would estimate that I spend around three to five hours using my computer for schoolwork, depending on how many assignments I have. Some days I barely use it outside of class, while other days I can spend several hours working on assignments.

Artificial intelligence has also become part of the way I use media for school. I use AI as a tool when I am confused about a topic, need something explained in a different way, or want help organizing my thoughts. For example, if I am studying for a difficult test, I might use AI to explain a concept in simpler terms or help me work through a problem. I think AI can be especially useful for students because it can provide another way to understand something when the original explanation does not make sense. However, I also think it is important to actually learn the material instead of relying on AI to do everything. Using AI as a study tool is very different from simply having it complete an assignment for you.

Another major part of my media usage is photography. Since I am studying Mass Communication with an emphasis on TV and Sports Production, photography is something I spend a lot of time doing. I use my Canon camera for sports photography, especially when I am taking pictures at SAU athletic events. I then use my computer to look through, organize, edit, and sometimes share the photographs. Photography has made me think about media differently because I am not just consuming media anymore. I am also creating it.

Social media is another big part of photography for me. Instagram and other platforms give photographers a place to share their work and build an audience. I can post pictures from sporting events, look at other photographers' work, and get ideas for improving my own photography. I also use social media to follow sports teams, athletes, celebrities, friends, and different accounts that interest me. I would estimate that I spend around two to three hours a day on social media, although that number can definitely be higher on days when I have more free time.

Streaming and entertainment also make up a large part of my personal media use. When I have finished my schoolwork, I usually want to relax, and television or streaming services are an easy way to do that. I watch shows and movies for entertainment, and sometimes I will have something playing in the background while I am doing other things. I probably spend around one to two hours watching television or streaming content on a normal day.

I also use media for news and general information, although social media is sometimes how I first find out about something happening. If something is trending, I might see it on TikTok, Instagram, or another social platform before looking up more information about it. This can be convenient because information spreads extremely quickly online, but it also means I have to be careful about what I believe. Not everything posted on social media is accurate, and sometimes people share information without checking where it came from. Because of that, I think it is important to look at reliable sources instead of automatically believing something just because it is popular online.

Texting is probably the form of media that I use most consistently throughout the day. Unlike social media, I do not usually sit down and intentionally spend an hour texting. Instead, it happens throughout the entire day. I might text my friends between classes, message my family, respond to someone while eating, or have a conversation while I am doing homework. Because texting is so constant, I would estimate that I spend at least one to two hours actively texting each day, even though it is broken up into smaller periods.

My friends have very similar media habits. Most of us use our phones constantly, especially for texting and social media. We send each other TikToks, Snapchat messages, Instagram posts, and random videos throughout the day. Since we are all college students, we also use our computers for assignments and school communication. I think the biggest difference between my friends and me is probably how much time we spend on certain platforms. Some of my friends spend much more time on TikTok, while I may spend more time on photography, sports content, or school-related media.

There are definitely positive effects of media usage on my personal life. It makes communication much easier because I can stay connected with my friends and family even when we are not together. Social media also allows me to keep up with things that interest me and discover new ideas. For photography, media gives me a way to share my work and learn from other photographers. Academically, the Internet gives me access to an enormous amount of information. Instead of only relying on a textbook, I can find videos, articles, examples, tutorials, and other resources that can help me understand a topic.

At the same time, media can have negative effects. One of the biggest problems is distraction. It is extremely easy to sit down to do homework, check TikTok for "just a minute," and suddenly realize that 30 minutes have passed. Social media can also make it harder to focus because there is always something new to look at. Notifications can interrupt studying, and sometimes I find myself reaching for my phone without even thinking about it.

Another negative effect is that using screens for so many hours can make it harder to separate school from personal time. When my computer is both my entertainment device and my school device, it can feel like I am always connected to something. It can also be easy to compare my life to what I see online, even though social media usually shows only a small part of someone's life.

Overall, mass media is basically woven into my everyday routine. From the moment I wake up and check my phone to the time I finish an assignment on my computer and watch something before bed, I am constantly interacting with different forms of media. I would estimate that I spend several hours each day using media for both personal and academic purposes, with my phone and computer being the two devices I use the most.

As someone studying Mass Communication, I think being aware of my own media habits is especially important. I am not only a consumer of media, but I am also learning how to create it. Photography, social media, video, and other forms of communication are all connected to the career I am working toward. Media can be incredibly useful for education, communication, creativity, and entertainment, but it also requires some responsibility. Learning when to put my phone down, checking information before believing it, and using technology as a tool instead of letting it control my attention are all things I am still working on. At the end of the day, media is a major part of my life, and I do not think that is going to change anytime soon. The important part is learning how to use it in a way that helps me instead of becoming another distraction.