Uh-oh... Midterms already

With being a college student comes having to take many exams. This week I have my first midterm in my communication class. Midterm week can be very stressful. I tend to stress myself out by getting overwhelmed and nervous about how well I'll do. Hence the image I chose for this blog post. Exams can be very stressful, my best advice is to do whatever it takes to keep you up while studying. I love coffee because it tastes good and helps me stay awake while studying. Another key part of studying is flashcards! Trust me, you'll go through a lot of them but they're worth it. I always remind myself to study hard and the rest will follow. 

While studying for this exam, of course, I began to reflect on everything I have learned so far throughout the first half of the spring semester. I think the most interesting concept I learned about is the term cancel culture. It was interesting to learn about the different perspectives people have about what cancel culture is. I didn't realize that people viewed cancel culture as punishment. I always believed that it was meant to hold others accountable for their negative actions online. My professor gave us an article to read where people gave their opinions expressing whether calling people out was a figure of accountability or unjust punishment. The article was interesting, and it changed my views of cancel culture. When asked by my professor whether cancel culture represented accountability or unjust punishment, I answered that it all depends on the situation. I now believe that it depends on how you call a person out. You could be respectful or disrespectful about the situation, which will identify whether you were trying to be helpful or judgemental. Overall, it was interesting to learn about this concept of cancel culture because I always see it occurring to celebrities online but never thought about it in depth. 

Don't get me wrong, the class itself is very interesting. I mean who wouldn't want to learn about social media and the way it runs the world. Although, there are a few concepts that weren't as interesting as I would've thought. For example, the most boring concept I learned this semester was impression management. I think the reason it was so boring to me is that it felt like basic knowledge. I was already aware that people use their front stage self and backstage self depending on certain circumstances. The concept didn't interest me because it felt too easy. There was no challenge at hand. For instance, I am well aware that everyone wants social acceptance and that is why we try to show our best selves to the new people we meet. Most of us want to be liked and accepted in this world, even if it means portraying someone that we're not. I was familiar with the concept of impression management before this class, so learning about it again was boring. It didn't grasp my attention or make me want to learn more. 

I believe that everything I learn throughout my communications class will someday help me in the real world. I can apply things I've learned about such as impression management when I am looking to impress others in situations like job interviews or negotiating. Most of what I've learned about in this course is social media related, social media affects the world. Activism, for example, is a major concept in the world today. In this class, I learned more about activism and how it works through social media. If I ever wanted to support a cause I would know to resort to using popular platforms to represent it. Social media platforms could help get the word out, expand influence, and find others who feel the same way. More than half of the world uses social media, it is important to understand how it works and unites us all together. 

- VANESSA