Where have you been, Austin?

 

Exploring new places is by far one of the most exciting and enjoyable things in life. I can say without a doubt that Austin is a location that provides endless opportunities for new memories. I believe that social media can both help and take away from the experience. This assignment has made me realize that while social media can provide us with new places to explore, we also need to be mindful of when to simply enjoy the experience and when to capture it on social media.

The first activity I completed was Bubble Soccer at Pease Park. The park is actually very close to campus as it borders the edge of West Campus along N. Lamar Blvd. In the past, I have seen YouTube clips of people bouncing off each other and looking rather hilarious during the activity. When I heard that our upcoming mixer with a sorority was a bubble soccer mixer, I was quite excited. My initial realization that the bubbles were not the “hamster ball” type, but rather the ones worn around our body. This type did allow for more control, however it was much more exhausting than I thought it would be. Even so, it was especially fun to bump people sideways and upside down. Being unexpectedly blindsided definitely knocked some of the wind out of me a few times, but being more aware of my surroundings usually solved that issue. Throughout the mixer we played a variety of game types, ranging from soccer to “Sharks and Minnows” and “Knock down the King/Queen”. After this bumpin’ experience, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a little out of the ordinary fun. Below is a group photo of everyone who played:

My second activity was what I wrote about for my blog during my media curator week, which was the UT tower. I believe that a UT tower tour is something everyone should experience at least once in their UT career. In a way, the tower brings together everyone who has gone through the University. From the daily chimes to the orange-lit celebrations, it is something we see almost every day while on campus. At the top, it is interesting to see how many places we can recognize when looking down or into the distance. Whether it is where your first apartment was, your favorite class, or that one time you got lost, you are bound to recognize it 28 floors up. One more thing to add is that Snapchat filters are especially cool to combine with a view of or from the top of the tower. Below is a snapchat I took of the tower from the bottom, and a view from the top:

 

 

 

 

My last activity was an afternoon boat event on Lake Travis. Nature is something I greatly appreciated upon coming to UT Austin. My hometown near Dallas did not offer much asides from man-made parks and a few ponds. Meanwhile, Austin offers excellent attractions such as Barton Springs, Lake Travis, and Zilker Park. In the midst of cramming for midterms and everything else life throws at me on a weekly basis in college, this afternoon on the lake was much needed. There was a cool breeze, a grill to cook burgers and hot dogs on, and a soothing view of the green that surrounded the lake. Apart from boat rides, the lake offers countless other amenities such as zip lining and shopping. It is without a doubt on my Austin bucket list to go to Lake Travis at least another three to five times and see everything that it has to offer. Below is a picture of my date and I on the boat:

 

I have realized how prevalent of a role social media plays within my travels and explorations this semester. It is not uncommon for me to inquire where my friends’ snapchats of delicious food are being taken, or how much it costs to rent a kayak on the river near downtown. Facebook has allowed me to share really great moments and adventures with everyone ranging from acquaintances to old friends. Instagram is my photo reel that highlights the occasional memories that are worth posting. Snapchat captures my daily shenanigans and allows me to express my sillier side to my closer friends.

I think a topic worth discussing is how social media played into each of my activities. For bubble soccer, I used a Go-Pro to record few games, which was really cool to see a point of view from inside the bubble. It didn’t really detract from the experience since I simply had to hold it while running and bumping around. As for the tower, I took pictures and snaps until I felt I had captured enough for my satisfaction. From there, I decided to simply enjoy the view while it lasted, since I knew it would be very likely the only time I would be at the top.

This demonstrates that when the activity is something that may be a one-time or very rare thing, I valued the experience much more rather than capturing it all completely on camera or social media. The boat event also took this aspect into account, but moreover underlined the value of human interaction. I chatted with my date most of the boat ride, and enjoyed the scenery. I know there are definitely spots and places in ATX that are “Instagram or Snapchat worthy”, and I wouldn’t blame anyone for using social media there. I would simply argue for people to be reasonable in their social media usage during a new experience. Personally, I feel that if I did not have my phone or social media for any of these experiences, I still would have had a memorable time. If the experience is worth my time, I will give it the attention it deserves, whether that includes social media or not. All in all, Austin is a very activity-filled city, where social media can serve as your best friend but also a distraction if used in excess.
– William Mao