We live in a time when everything revolves around different forms of media. With media integrating its way into our culture, it seems remotely possible to go days without using any type of media. Personally, I cant remember a day when I did not incorporate the use of media into my daily routine.
As a high school student who also attends a community college, my day starts off as early as 5 a.m. where Im awakened by an alarm clock set on my iPhone.
Soon after waking up, I usually like to check my notifications on my phone and the weather for the day. Checking the weather on my phone helps me decide what outfit is best to wear that day. Once I finish checking my phone, I get up to take a shower, brush my teeth, and get dressed to go to school. When its around 5:45 a.m., I go downstairs and prepare myself a good breakfast.
While I am eating breakfast, I usually like to get back on my phone to check social media such as Snapchat or Instagram. After eating my breakfast, I spend the rest of time watching some shows on Netflix until it is time for me to head off to school.
As Im driving in the car on my way to school, I like to play the radio and listen to what might be going on. Later in the day, I like to occasionally check my phone for any alerts on social media or messages. Once I get home from school and completed my homework, I like to relax by spending my pastime catching up on shows on Netflix or taking a nap. Around nighttime, I usually just watch videos on YouTube till I fall asleep. The routine has remained the same for the past 3 years I have been attending high school.
When it comes to social media I use most frequently, I would have to say it is Instagram and YouTube. I can spend countless amount of time on both apps. I find both apps resourceful and helpful when it comes to providing entertainment during my free time. Instagram allows me to view peoples experiences through pictures and 60-second videos, and communicate with people throughout the world. YouTube, on the other hand, is a great way for me to watch and share videos with friends & family.
In terms of how the media and its capabilities affected my daily life, I would say that it has helped to improve my daily life while also negatively affecting it. Social networking sites have given me the opportunity to access information faster and easily connect with people around the world. While on the other hand, social networking sites affected my behavior in terms of how I think through certain things Im facing. While media can alter our lives by being a tool of great benefit for everyone who is hoping to find content for their interests, media can have its fair share of downsides. One downside is how social media can affect our body image. It can influence people to compare themselves to others and lose sight of who they are.
Overall, the media play a significant role in my daily life. I am not amazed by how much media I use on a daily basis because I rely on it to give me an insight of what is going on in the world today and keeps me updated with todays news. It helps bring meaning to my daily life in terms of political, economic, and cultural aspects.