To Conclude

To conclude this blogging experiment, I figured it would helpful to provide a summary of what I feel I have learned through this project.

Facebook: First off, throughout this past month I have began to acquire a strong dislike to this social networking site. This is not hugely related to the research I have been doing as a part of this class, but rather a growing frustration. I would love to cut myself off of facebook, but as I posted earlier, I feel as if I've been trapped into it. I would feel guilty because there are some people who I don't have contact with on a face-to-face level. Before I came to Briercrest I did the Kaleo program where I grew alongside 26 other students. Since the end of this program much of the contact I have with these dear ones is limited to Facebook because we are spread out across the Canada, North America, and now the World. My ties to these people would feel as if they'd been severed because outside of Facebook, there is not any easy avenue to communicate. Yes, emails still exist, as well as phone-calls, but long distance phone charges are expensive. Texting is also available, but there is only so much that can be communicated in a 150 character message. Maybe one day I'll be free of the chains of facebook. I'm just not ready quite yet.

Here at Briercrest I've observed that a rampant facebook addiction exists. Those who I have as part of my "friends" are constantly updating statuses, photos, and commenting. However this is a rising trend as the hours get later and the homework piles up. Sometimes I wonder if we would all be much more dedicated students if Facebook hadn't been invented. I'm sure though that something would exist in its place to eat up our time.

Blogging: This is my second blogging experience as during my time at Kaleo I was required to keep a ministry journal in the form of a blog. Blogging about computer related things has been, to be quite honest, not my favorite thing. I love to write, yet this love comes much easier when I am passionate about the subject. I'm sorry to admit that this is not case with this topic. I did find Amber Mac's helpful tips on blogging to be helpful as I am aware that I struggle with being concise. I also feel as if I have a problem with providing content that is engaging. Something to work on I guess.

Students Here at Briercrest: Students here at Briercrest are in no way different to the rest of the world regarding the use of social media. Many are glued to phones that now carry the capabilities of surfing the internet, making social media readily accessible. Twitter, blogging sites, the infamous Facebook, message boards within the school, online gaming, and email are all common avenues that are used within the student body for communicating. Just because we live in a "secluded" village, does not mean that we are not connected to the outside world.

Final Thoughts: Reading Amber Mac's book has increased my awareness of what social media actually is. There are now little things that I notice that I hadn't before. Previously, and still to an extent, I've considered myself to be somewhat computer-illiterate. Now, I know that when # signs show up repeatedly with run-on sentences in statuses, that such ramblings are likely linked to a twitter post. Amber writes to conclude her book, "Never before have we lived in a world where measuring traffic and interest has been so easy and exact." (222) In all reality, we literally have the world at our fingertips, which is a frightening, yet exciting concept. However does honestly worry me a little about the future state of our society. If we live in a world that is currently so connected, what will fifty years bring? Maybe in fifty years I will stumble across this blog and laugh. (Yes I would be 70 then, and probably long forgotten this assignment.