Reflection and thoughts on life since January

Today I am finishing up my final research paper for this semester.  It is the paper that I am writing on what I have learned from this blog and this semester. 


As I look back at my life since January, I see how I have grown and changed. I see how this decision to go back to school has been the best decision I have made. (Yes, I know I just got out last May....) This program is opening my eyes to things I knew about, but never had the chance to really learn about.  It also is giving me the chance to see how the world is viewed by others. 


In my last program, it was almost always about the great work that the professors did or where they traveled. Except for a few, it was not about learning the facts that matter. This time it is different.  In my last MBA, not once did my advisor meet with me.  I would email questions that would go unanswered. This time my advisor laid out a game plan with me. To me that is huge. It shows she actually cares and wants to see me succeed at reaching my goals. It is a welcomed change.


This semester I was able to see how social media impacts our world in more ways than we realize.  The impact is greater than I first thought.  In many ways I see that these tools can help create change that can help the greater good.  I think we just need to learn how to utilize the tools that are there to accomplish the goals we set.  There seems to be a lot of "experts", but it seems that they all are saying the same things, just with a different picture on the cover of the book.  I feel with these social networking or social media tools being so new, there is going to be a lot "experts" until there is a standard set.  In my opinion, that is something that does not happen over night. I'm still trying to figure out how I can do something to impact the world in a positive way- which I think that is what a lot of these experts are trying to do. I want the book with the new cover and content- I don't like to recycle.


What have I learned about Facebook and other social media sites? Yes, it is addictive. I can go through my friends list and point out those that are addictive just by their posts.  These post show which people have the need to constantly know what everyone is doing and find a way to out do them or be the last or first to comment. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but it is something we need to be more aware of moving forward. The research shows that social media is more addictive than sex and alcohol. Truthfully, I believe it. The sad part? The professionals can not agree if this addiction actually exists. It is interesting to read- both sides of the story. I obviously agree that it is an addiction that we need to closely look at and start to address.


The biggest change has been in me. I now pride myself on living a "cleaner" life online.  These sites are great for keeping in touch, but look at the research, it scares me that our society is losing the ability to interact face-to-face.  To me, conversation is a good when it is face-to-face rather than screen-to-screen. I have mentioned before how I miss it. There is a time and place to play on line or on your mobile devices. I make every effort to put my phone away to be able to enjoy those that are around me.  With things that are going on in other areas of my life, I see that life is precious. Would you want to remember your last interaction to be with someone in person or over a screen? These are the questions we need to start asking and answering. 

Hail to Pitt!

It is almost two months that the University of Pittsburgh has been receiving bomb threats almost on a daily basis and multiple times a day.  It took until yesterday for this news to break into the national news.   I am following this situation closely for many reasons- Pitt is where I went to undergrad and  created some of the greatest memories and made the best of friends, my sorority is on the campus, and because it's a mile from my home and I cut through the campus every day going home from work. To sum it up-  I love Oakland and I love Pitt even more.  It just saddens and scares me that these students are going through this.

Through out this whole situation there has been local media coverage of the situation, but I have found most of my information out from Twitter, blogs, and Facebook.  It seems these mediums have more accurate and more timely information than others.  Looking at this whole situation I am thinking about a book I just finished reading on social media. A chapter in the book Socialnomics  (Qualman) discusses how news comes to us, we no longer go to it.  In this situation that is true for students, but not the parents.  Many parents across the country have no coverage of this situation except from these social mediums because their local and national news has not picked up on it.  For these parents, they would go to these mediums to find out what is going on.  For students, the news of threats is brought to them through text alerts or twitter or facebook updates on their mobile devices.  Social media has been a tool to get these students and faculty out of potential harm by the information being delivered directly to them where ever they are on campus.

On the other side of the story, social media could be fueling the person or persons who is sending these threats. They could be watching comments or posts and deciding their next move from the info they gain.  The tools that can be used to keep people safe could potentially be aiding the person creating this terrible situation.  It's almost as the person creating this situation is using these tools to create the story knowing that the tools are available to spread or make the situation worse. 

There are many rumors and stories about who this person is or where they are sending the threats from, but one thing is clear- the local authorities, including Pitt police, are not taking any chances. They respond to every threat and thoroughly investigate. The manpower that goes into each every search is huge- especially when two or three buildings on campus are named in one threat.  I don't think there are enough words that can say 'thank-you' to these officers that are keeping the campus safe. Students all seem to appreciate the Pitt police and the other local authorities for all they do. (My local sorority chapter is taking cookies to the Pitt police today to thank them!) I know that some students are frustrated with the lack of updates from the university, but I am thinking they are keeping quiet for a reason.  For a university that is usually forthcoming with information to stay quiet this long, makes me believe there is reason for the silence.  I know all want answers, but this might be one of those times that less is better and hopefully down the road we will understnad why the decisions where made.

For now there is not much more I can say or do besides hope that this person or persons is caught.  Students need their sense of security returned. Its not fair what is going on, but one can only hope that the proper authorities will resolve this situation sooner than later.  Hail to Pitt!

Things I have wanted to post on Facebook....

...but have chosen not to.

1. Reminder to those who tailgate for Pirate games: If you are going to bring glass bottles to tailgate, please take them with you when you leave.  As shocking as this may sound, the lease holders really don't like to drive around your broken bottles. Here's a great idea- they now have beer in cans, invest in them.
2. Why is Pittsburgh a classy city? Easy. When you drive down Butler street in Lawrenceville after the Pirates home opener you get to see a young guy opening his passenger side truck door and puking in the street as they inch along in traffic. (You know this was the same guy that broke the beer bottles in Gold Lot 2!)
3. No, it is not acceptable to drive real fast as if you are going to drive through the yellow light and at the last minute decide to break...unless you really want me in your back seat.
4. When you say you are going to be some place and plans change, it is ok to text me and tell me. I really do like waiting an hour in a smokey bar waiting for you to show up when I could be at home sleeping!
5. You really think neon yellow shoes look good on you?
6. Disappointingly 'yinz' is not and acceptable word according to Words with Friends.

What's next??

On Saturday I reactivated my Facebook account.  It was nice to quickly scroll and get caught up on all the new babies, engagements, and going ons with my friends. I seriously thought when I reactivated I would have been put on to the new timeline theme, but I haven't. I think it has grown on me so I am ready for it. 

Within 5 minutes of reactivating I was annoyed.  I guess something changed with my settings and every time a friend did something (post, upload, create) I got an icon on my toolbar on my phone.  This annoyed me. I have gotten used to life without those alerts and I liked it.  It took me over 45 minutes to figure out how to shut the alert off.  At this point I think I shut off the alert, but still not sure.  I can see how Facebook works now-- they make it real easy to reactivate your account, but make it near impossible to change any of the settings.  I was almost frustrated enough to deactivate again, but I didn't.

I am proud of myself because I have not checked it constantly. I honestly have forgotten that I gave myself access back and barely look at the site. I am proud of myself. I might have broken my addictive behavior- go me!

So what will happen with this blog? I am going to continue to post here. I am going to use this as my sounding board of all things to do with my thoughts on social media/social business as I travel along the path of obtaining my PhD in Communications.  This will be my sounding board. It started out for one thing, but is now going to morph into my place to write about the research or projects I am working on.

As I am ever changing, its fitting that this blog does too!