Zoe, 14
Media Consumption: Frequent; daily for both school and personal usage
Favorite Media/Technology: TikTok (2-3 hours per day), YouTube (20-40 minutes per day), and Messages (10-30 minutes per day)
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
When I was younger, my parents would let me use a family iPad for an hour a day, however, I had to ask for their permission in order to use it and they would monitor my activity. I would use the iPad to play games such as Angry Birds or watch videos on YouTube. My parents used to have flip phones but now we all own iPhones. Even though I have my own phone and get to choose my interactions with media/technology, my parents still have rules. For example, I am supposed to leave my phone in the living room at night and have to put my phone away while doing homework. We also have a family rule: no phones at the dining table.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
A lot of my friends and I use iMessage to communicate. Through iMessage, we have a lot of group chats and also play games such as 8-ball through [an integrated app called] Game Pigeon. I also use Spotify a lot so I have collaborative playlists with my friends which allow us to share the music that we are currently listening to with one another.
What do you use media for?
I use it to communicate with my friends and to keep up with social media. Additionally, I use it for school. Canvas or Google Classroom. I was curious if COVID-19 played an important role in how schools decided to use media. In asking her about that, Zoe shared how since elementary school, media has been a large part of her learning. In elementary school, her class would go to Computer Lab once a week in which they would learn skills such as typing, using Word, and how to create citations. This helped me understand her grasp on media literacy and its prevalence in schools. My teachers assign homework through Canvas, and I also turn it in online through Canvas. I even have a Chromebook from my school students, which I use in class such as to read articles in my English and History classes. I like using a computer as it makes completing assignments faster—I type faster than I write. I can also easily look things up when I am having trouble understanding a topic.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
Social media can be positive for spreading awareness about social issues because I can keep up with current events through peoples’ Instagram stories. It can also be helpful for getting things done quickly. However, social media also creates a false reality since people only post the good things about their life, which is harmful because others will believe their lives have to be perfect to fit in. I feel like a lot of people compare themselves to social media standards in order to determine how they should act.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
One thing I would like people I watch to know is that a lot of people look up to them. Many of these creators have huge platforms with many followers. Therefore, they should be aware of what they post. For example, a lot of my friends used to watch Brent Rivera when we were younger and now they realize how messed up and weird some of his videos are.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with media through my phone the most. The app that I use the most is TikTok. Last week, I spent 19 hours and 22 minutes on TikTok. Other apps on my phone that I spend a lot of time on are YouTube, Spotify, and Messages. For school, I also use Canvas and Google Classroom.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get a lot of information from posts on Instagram and TikTok. I also get a lot of information through my friends (especially about things happening at school or related to my peers), as well as through parents and teachers. My history teacher provides us with a lot of information about current events by showing us news articles and videos.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Going on TikTok helps me stay busy and calm because it is full of things that interest me. I also love to listen to music so I utilize Spotify to listen to music to calm my nerves during challenging times. Some of my favorite artists are Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
From the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times, I have learned more about how to adapt to different circumstances and situations. I have also found new hobbies during these times to take my mind off of the stress of the challenging times.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
During the pandemic, I used media to learn new things that could keep me busy. I learned how to play the guitar and ukulele. Additionally, I learned how to make different types of friendship bracelets. I learned how to do all of this through media by watching videos on YouTube.
Interviewed by: Ally Chan, UCLA student
Zaayra, 18
Media Consumption: Several hours every day
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We all interact with each other through various forms of Social Media. From family groups on WhatsApp to sending memes to each other on Instagram. Social Media is an important part of all our lives.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
Similar to my family, my peers and I all interact through social media. We all got inspiration through social media and try to model ourselves through it. Posting regularly and seeing what others post is also something that excites us.
What do you use media for?
I use media for basically everything in my life. It is my inspiration for most things I do. The way I dress, the food I eat, and even the people I try to be like, are all inspired by social media.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing about social media is the aspect of stalking. I feel that some people can misuse social media and can invade the privacy of others.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I would want the people who create the media I like to know that their content has a significant impact on my beliefs and values, and that they have the power to shape the way I see the world. Therefore, I hope they take their responsibility seriously and create content that is diverse, inclusive, and promotes positive messages.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with social media the most. More specifically, I use Instagram more often than other apps. I model my life through what I see on Instagram.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get most of the information about what’s happening in the world through Instagram. Other than that I also get news through the Internet and my parents.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
TikTok and Instagram help me stay calm and busy during challenging times. They provide me with entertainment through memes and reels and keep me distracted.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
From the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times, I have learned the importance of adaptability and resilience. It is crucial to be able to adjust to new circumstances and persevere through difficult situations in order to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught me to be more mindful of my media consumption and to take breaks from technology when needed for my mental health. It has also shown me the importance of using technology for social connection and staying informed, while being cautious of misinformation and excessive screen time.
Interviewed by: Aditya Singh, UCLA student
Sebastian, 16
Media Consumption: I listen to a lot of music throughout the day but I also will sometimes leave my phone going on in the background if I’m making food or doing homework. But, on social media or watching YouTube, I probably spend 3 hours, sometimes more. I don’t not spend as much time on my phone as I used to. My favorite form of media now is video games, which I spend 1-2 hours on on weekdays and maybe 5 hours on weekends.
Favorite Media/Technology: My favorite form of technology nowadays is video games that I play on my console. I used to spend more time on my phone watching movies and when I was younger I did not play games at all but since getting the console I really enjoy playing them.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
The way my mom interacts with the media is mostly through Facebook but I don’t know what other social media she has. I mostly contact her through her phone but she also has a computer.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
Most of my friends have social media, like Instagram and Snapchat and a decent amount are actively on it.
What do you use media for?
I mostly use social media to reach out to specific friends or I’ll look at Instagram just to see
what someones been up to lately. You can just look at someone's Instagram and see how their
life’s been going.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
Technology is a really easy way to lose everything, like money because you can get scammed really easily through emails or credit cards. On the internet all your information is just easier to get. My favorite thing is that it is easy entertainment, you can just sit down and watch a movie or game, or FaceTime people that are far away that you can’t see. It is good for entertainment and communication.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I don’t know one thing I’d want people who create media to know, I’ve never really thought about that. I can’t change it; it will always be changing.
What media do you interact with the most?
I think I probably use media like Spotify the most.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I probably get most information about what’s happening in the world from school. In one of my classes I have a teacher that believes it’s important for us to know what’s going on, which it is.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I don’t really use my phone as a way to comfort me, I just use it to contact people, listen to music and watch videos, movies and shows. I don’t think those really help me stay calm but video games don’t really make me stay calm; they help me stay busy and plugged in.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I don't really know, that not a lot of people care about getting better. Like with COVID, it’s been years and i can’t believe, like my school, doesn’t even care about masks, like masks are nonexistent these days.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
Yes I have learned that using technology in moderation is important and balancing that by doing things outside of technology is important. I used to use technology a lot before bed and late at night but I learned to limit the time on them because being tired isn't fun and I have to wake up cause I have to walk my dog.
Interviewed by: Daniela Noricumbo, UCLA student
Selina, 16
Media Consumption: 8-12 hours/day
Favorite Media/Technology: DouYin (Chinese version of TikTok)
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I live with both of my parents and my grandmother. My grandmother only watches TV and doesn’t own a phone. However, my parents and I spend a lot of time on media. We usually watch TV or a show on our computer while we are eating and we also spend a lot of time online before bed. My parents are very generous on me using media, they don’t really restrict the content and the time usage.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
We like to share funny videos to each other, and the jokes of these videos are often brought up in our daily conversations as well. We also contact a lot after school on our phones as well. When we see somewhere fun and interesting, we’ll also share it to each other and go there during the weekends.
What do you use media for?
I use media mainly for communication and entertainment. I chat a lot with my classmates after school and I also keep in contact with my middle school friends through chatting softwares. I also like to play games and watch random videos for leisure.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about media is that I can find other people satisfying my needs in things that I can’t do. For example, I absolutely love dogs and always dreamed of getting a dog. However, my mother is deadly allergic so I can’t get a dog. Thus, watching other people owning a dog and playing with their dogs through videos online really satisfy me. I also watch some “mukbang” videos where people eat junk food to satisfy me as well.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I want people that are dog owners and create cute videos of dog to know that I really enjoy your content. However, please also take good care of your dog off camera as well. I’ve seen news on a few pet owners abusing their pet to create a good scene simply for camera.]
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with DouYin (Chinese version of TikTok) the most for entertainment, and I use WeChat the most for communication.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get most of this information from my parents and the Internet. DouYin sometimes feed me videos of breaking or interesting news. In addition, my parents and I sometimes discuss what’s going on in the world as well.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I play a game called XiaoXiaoLe (Chinese version of Candy Crush), it really helps me to stay calm during challenging times as the game is very simple and I don’t have to think much about it. It is kind of like an escape mechanism.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned that online education doesn’t work at all especially for younger kids like those in elementary school and middle school. It’s so hard to have motivation to finish your work and watch through all the lectures without a classroom environment. I am super happy that I get to return to school and meet friends.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
My media consumption has definitely boosted significantly during COVID-19. I used to only spend 2 hours per day on my phones after school, but during COVID-19, I spend up to 12 hours each day for both learning and leisure. I learned that media consumption is indeed entertaining but also horrible after a certain point. To a certain point, I was just aimlessly scrolling through my phone because I had nothing else to do.
Interviewed by: Yuting Wang, UCLA student
Stefano, 18
Media Consumption: Every day for approximately 5 to 10 hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My parents don’t really use social media unless it’s for their business. However, I do enjoy sending videos through Instagram or TikTok back and forth with my siblings.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I interact in the same way that I do with my siblings, we all enjoy randomly sending each other videos. We see it as a way of keeping up with things that we choose to follow on social media. We also use Discord to voice call when we have free time and want to play video games together.
What do you use media for?
I mainly use media to keep up with the lives of the people that I’ve followed. I also follow soccer and Formula 1 to keep myself updated. I’ll occasionally see highlights of other sports, but I don’t care as much about them.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite aspect about media is the possibility of discovering something new that I like and seeing if I can add it to my day-to-day life. I also really love just being able to see something, note to myself “hey, that’s cool,” and then be able to move on. My least favorite aspect would be the rabbit holes that you can go down (on all platforms but especially YouTube). With TikTok, if you’re just scrolling through your For You page, it has gotten to the point where the videos are displaying so much randomness that it really shows the change in people’s attention span. It’s steering away from what I like (a good storytelling video), and it’s changing to just very short, attention grabbing visuals designed to maximize views.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I remember reading that, from day 1, even Mark Zuckerberg didn’t allow his kids to use social media. Regardless of whether that’s still true to this day, we still choose to scroll through media on our devices despite knowing how detrimental it can be. I would want the creators to know that we shouldn’t be scrolling through their content but we still are.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with Instagram the most.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get most of my information from Instagram.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Instagram helps me stay busy/stay calm during challenging times.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned that nothing beats human connections. It was so easy to deprive myself of those connections and just be on my computer/phone during the pandemic, and after realizing that, I started to wonder why wasn’t I outside playing soccer? It was getting to the point where I was using the stay-at-home order as an excuse to never go outside; I wouldn’t even want to go to the store with my parents. It challenged me to ask myself why I couldn’t just go outside and go for a walk. Overall, the pandemic really helped me realize that I was overusing technology.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
During the pandemic, I was using technology at an extreme level because of school. It was getting to the point where I couldn’t wait until I could finish my work and be able to get away from staring at a screen. Now, I really try to prioritize going outside and moving my body over being on my computer/phone.
Interviewed by: Kevin Nguyen, UCLA student
Jason, 18
Media Consumption: a lot, probably more than 6 hours a day
Favorite Media/Technology: smartphone
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
Generally, media makes up a very important part of my life, it allows me to be connected to people, no matter where they are. I’ve been able to hold friendships with people who moved across the world. My family uses media all the time such as WhatsApp as it allows us to interact with each other all over the world easily and quickly. Therefore it's really important to us.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
Generally, Snapchat is a very common medium of conversation among peers, phone numbers are outdated and Snapchat allows you to interact with others without giving personal information.
What do you use media for?
A plethora of things. I use media to keep myself occupied, I can read about cool things on the Internet. Media is really cool.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing is how expansive it is. you can play games, buy things from Amazon, and other cool features specific to phones. But I don't like that you are encapsulated by a phone’s limitations to normal interaction as they lead me to use my phone when I’m bored in a random place rather than find something to do such as talk to others or observe the environment.
What are your thoughts on media and privacy?
It's obvious that social media isn’t cheap to run and ads aren’t their only profit model, to be a user of social media you need to recognize that your data is being taken and sold.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/to interact with to know?
I wish they were more transparent with where our data is joining but I know that’s very unlikely to happen.
What media do you interact with the most?
In a general sense, Snapchat is for conversation as it's really easy to use and talk to people on.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
With various forms of websites, I like to stay informed and know what I’m talking about. I start by looking at news stories I see on Instagram or Snapchat then delve deeper by going to real news websites such as the New York Times to get the full picture.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Anything that I can find, video games, shows, YouTube videos. A wide range of stuff.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
We can be really complacent with our lives and accept the world due to media. If this pandemic happened 30 years ago I think people would have gone crazy as they wouldn’t have any way to interact with others. Social media and tech allowed us to interact with others in safe ways during the pandemic.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I became more reliant on media and I think many of us began relying on it as well and used it instead of a creative outlet. The pandemic kinda exposed how much of our lives are reliant on this technology.
Interviewed by: Joshua Mehrdad, UCLA student
Crisandra, 18
Media Consumption: I spend most of my time on my phone and laptop due to school and social media apps like Instagram, but this can really vary, I spend probably on average around 3-4 hours on my phone and probably 5+ hours watching lectures, doing work, etc. for school.
Favorite Media/Technology: I enjoy playing a number of games via my laptop, Nintendo Switch, and other consoles.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My parents used to watch TV more often but now they watch more Youtube, they are media literate but sometimes miss the nuance of trends or memes that I expose them to. My dad particularly enjoys media that can be used in collective family time, for example he owns a karaoke machine. He likes to use it when we have guests over or on Friday nights or with the family. My mom likes to watch shows with me and owns a few streaming subscriptions and also has her own iPad for more portable streaming. I typically tend to use my laptop and phone. I'm a college student so my laptop is mostly used to do work or watch shows. I like watching anime as well as the standard Netflix, Hulu etc. and on my phone I will usually listen to music, go on Instagram, or read books on my phone.
How do you and your peers interact with media and technology?
My peers and I tend to use a lot of social media apps like Instagram and Tiktok. I probably spend less time on my phone than my friends, especially since I don’t have TikTok. My friends and I play games together, or I will play games on my console by myself (Nintendo Switch). Aside from games and social media a lot of people around me in college are using laptops to do work for school, which is pretty time consuming, and is what I would guess is the predominant interaction with technology that college students have.
What do you use media for?
I tend to use media to follow content on my hobbies, ie: video game live streamers like on Twitch, or following content from anime, or other video games. I also listen to a lot of music which helps keep my mind busy especially if I’m doing things like brushing my teeth or walking to class.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
I like the game play aspect of media, I really wish I had more time for it, but I hate how addictive, specifically social media, but also other forms of media can be.
What is one thing you want the people who create media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I don’t really know. I like to watch live streamers and there are obviously the developers of video games that I really enjoy. I guess it would be nice to show them my appreciation for creating content that keeps me inspired and interested to continue playing those games.
What media do you interact with the most?
Definitely my phone and my laptop. I tend to scroll on Instagram but I’m trying to replace that with reading on my phone instead.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world?
This is pretty bad because I tend to get news about what happens in the world from my friends or the social media apps that I’m on which I don’t think is good.
What media helps you stay busy/calm during challenging times?
Music definitely helps me.
What lessons have you learned from COVID-19 and other challenging times?
It’s important to have human interaction. COVID felt isolating especially because my parents love to have guests over which we obviously couldn’t do during the quarantine.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
I don’t think so. My habits didn’t really change, other than an increased interest in live streaming which made me more receptive to watching recorded or online lectures for college. I used to prefer attending classes in person prior to COVID, but now I don’t really mind.
Interviewed by: Mimi Tsang, UCLA 4th Year
Cloe, 16
Media Consumption: 5-6 hours a day
Favorite Media/Technology: TikTok, Mobile Device
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
When my brothers and I were younger, we used to all watch one or two episodes of TV together for the day. On Fridays, my whole family and I would come together to watch a movie at night. We were not on screens very often as children, but now that we’re older, we all watch TV on our own or use our own devices. We are on our screens a lot more than we used to be.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
Most of my friends and I use media and technology to stay connected with one another. I think some of my friends use social media a lot more frequently, I have one friend who deleted her TikTok account because she felt as though she was on it too much. We use technology for different things. I use my laptop for school and to watch movies. Our phones are mostly to communicate and use social media.
What do you use media for?
I like to use media to see how other people live. Those are the types of videos I enjoy watching the most on TikTok and Instagram. On Instagram, I have two accounts, a personal account with a lot of followers and a dump account with only 30 followers. I can have fun with the second account and post pictures of whatever I want without maintaining a certain aesthetic. I know that only my close friends are seeing those pictures.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing about social media is the negative effects it can have on us. TikTok recently recommended a video to me about a girl who eats a 500 calorie a day raw vegan diet. She only eats fruit and vegetables. One of the next videos the app recommended to me was a girl talking about how she follows a 4,000 calorie a day carnivorous diet. I don’t think these videos are healthy and they can really mess people up.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I wish they would humanize social media apps more. Social media uses algorithms to intensify the content you see, it can drain you and leave you scrolling for more. I wish social media creators would regulate this. As for content creators, I think they should think about their audience and ask themselves how their videos can harm young girls.
What media do you interact with the most?
I use TikTok the most.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get a lot of news on social media and by watching/listening to the news with my parents, but I also keep up with the news for school and extracurricular activities.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
During the pandemic, I liked to watch a lot of movies to stay busy when we were out of school. Now, I like to listen to a lot of music. I have a long commute to and from school, so I usually put in headphones on the bus to relax and listen to Spotify.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
One thing I learned was how to limit my phone use. When I was younger, my parents used to put screen time limits on our phones so that my brother and I wouldn’t be on them too much. But we’ve outgrown that, so I regulate it myself. I don’t have my phone out when I’m talking with my parents, eating dinner, or spending time with family. I think that’s important.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
Before the pandemic, I used to get upset when I saw people hang out without me or do things without me. But now I don’t mind as much, I know that social media can be misleading.
Interviewed by: Kimia Azad, UCLA student
Fiona, 16
Media Consumption: 7 hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram or Pinterest
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We watch movies together, and on social media I’ll just send them stupid stuff just for fun. It's like, almost like communicating with them that way. So it's just basically saying, “hey look at this thing.”
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
It’s pretty much the same, sending stupid stuff. And, I think like, if you want to, you could strengthen the relationship that way. But also, sometimes like, it doesn't really work out as you think it would. And like, things just get weird. And you're like, it's like, just the same as normal talking. But there's like certain rules when you're texting that are like, you have to understand what to do. So it's kind of like a whole other form of culture.
What do you use media for?
I use it for basically everything, entertainment and school and stuff.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
Oh, my favorite thing is probably like, looking at entertainment. And like, being able to share it with people who want to share it, too. And the least favorite thing is probably, like, just bad things on the internet that gets spread around. And like, I just really don't like that. Because like, there's just a whole bunch of negative things that it just spreads instantly. Like everyone knows it, then.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
Well, I think people who create media have to be very careful about what they do and say. So I personally like a lot of them. And like, sometimes I'll be like, Oh, another rumor came out, or like, clearly this thing that this person did, it's crazy. Especially people who create content for younger people specifically, I think they should really watch out for like, what they do and be very cautious and mindful about things they do. Because I'll see things like weak like they said something really bad, or they did something really bad. And like it'll just change everything. And you're like, I do believe like, the children have been watching this person. They are actually really bad people. So I think they should like, try to be a good person if you want to like, have a platform.
What media do you interact with the most?
Other than movies, probably Instagram and Pinterest. And I do use it for school a lot. It's like very common for it to be in school. And then they make it — oh, I post all the assignments online, which I think is very good. Because if you're sick, or if you miss it a it's all online. So you can get caught up very easily on that. But other times, like the teachers are very bad with technology. So makes the class a lot more difficult and like, hard to understand.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.?)
I get it mostly from the Internet! Usually I just scroll past it and am, like wait what was that? And it’s usually a meme or something about something crazy that just happened. I also get lots of information from my parents, because they always look at the Internet too.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I’d say Instagram and video games, because they’re very distracting.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID- pandemic and other challenging times?
I’ve learned a lot of the times you have to just follow the rules and do what the government says otherwise it all gets out [of control]. Like in New Zealand they had the restrictions and they all went back to being normal really quickly because they followed directions and they knew what to do.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID- pandemic and other challenging times?
Yeah I definitely do think so. I've been using it a lot more, I think because when we're in the pandemic, we couldn't really go out and talk to people. So the friends that I was friends with in person, we kind of got closer because like we were all that we had, like we couldn't really go connect with other people. So you just like talk online a lot.
Interviewed by: Abbie Burrus, UCLA student, CSS intern