Elise - 16
Elise, 16
Media Consumption: Around 4 hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: iPhone
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
Media and technology use is a huge part of our daily life. I feel that it really connects us all and makes the world feel a little smaller. Being half Montenegrin and half Persian, we have family settled all over the world - Montenegro, Switzerland, Iran, New York, and even more. Media and technology has allowed me to keep in touch with my family much more frequently than I would be able to without media. I remember the times before Facetime and social media...we were hardly able to speak to each other. Now, I’m always able to send memes to my cousins and Facetime my grandparents. I feel much closer to them, for they are just a phone call away. As well as this, my siblings are settled all over California for school so I am able to talk to them every single day, even whilst walking between classes. And when my family and I come home from school or work, we love to unwind together with a movie or show that we can laugh to and make commentaries about.
How do you or your peers interact with media/technology?
My peers and I love to use media to talk to each other, send memes, and funny Snapchats. One of the best feelings is finding a page that has the same sense of humor as you and sending its content to someone whom you know will appreciate it. My friends and I love to make each other laugh. We also love to watch shows together, especially the ones no one knows about. I love to find foreign series or soap operas and recommend them to my friends. I am also fascinated by cultures all over the world. I love being able to do research on art and music in these cultures - this brings me a lot of joy. You’ll often find me listening to various kinds of music from all over the globe.
What do you use media for?
As you could probably tell from my previous responses, I definitely use media the most for connecting with others. I feel as though I am able to connect with my friends and family and build our relationships much more with media than I would be able to without. I also think technology is so amazing and useful for school. I absolutely love to use my iPad for taking notes. Having everything such as notes, books, and files stored on there has allowed me to truly study anywhere. Instead of carrying everything with me, I just need my iPad so even if I have a busy day out, I can still study in little intervals throughout my day. I even sync the notes to my phone so I can study on my phone as well. This ability has helped me so much in increasing my productivity.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about media is being able to access information at any time and any place. It feels as though we have the world in our hands. I would say my least thing about media is how easily it can be used in the wrong or damaging way. Yes, there’s so much content and information that can be accessed through technology but this can also mean that media can be extremely alluring and distracting at the same time. However, I truly see it as a blessing. Of course media comes with its ups and downs, but if you use it wisely and carefully, it can really benefit your life.