I have a long-standing love-hate relationship with social media. It is a blessing and a curse. You can bet your bottom dollar that I have it all: Instagram, Spotify, Twitter, you name it. Being appointed social media curator for this past week was strange solely due to the obligation of posting for class. I typically post out of my own impulse, so naturally this requirement felt unnatural. As curator, the intention to create was skewed from something that flows naturally from me to something forced and inaccurate. Social media holds a very personal representation of self that I feel is stripped when shared, in this instance, in a class account. I think the true intention of social media as a personal mode and medium for expression is diluted when done out of obligation and forcefully shared with others.
Instagram was particularly weird for me to use as a group account. The photo app is something I use avidly to express my own aesthetic appeals. To have something for such a short time (4-8 posts) really hindered me from being able to create the feed and layout that I would prefer portray me. Instead, this assignment led me to hastily post a strange assortment of photos and captions that I would never on my own account, while still maintaining an effort to assimilate to the photos of the page.
The class Twitter account was a more relaxed experience, mostly due to the casual nature of the platform, but also my detachment in using the app for myself. It was easier to submit to the precedent of the class profile because I find words to be easier to relate in comparison to picture.
As for Spotify, I have created a playlist that even I would most likely not listen to except on the rare occasion of throwing a party. It is meant to bring some energy to this final stretch of school- a little something to RAGE to.
(…not actually rage as it is a healthy compilation of soft, hard, old, and new)
(maybe “have fun to” would be a better representation)
https://open.spotify.com/user/daniellerosero/playlist/6rghECxk2mBE3W6rsCCPSd
Hope you enjoy my total media take over.
Lauren
Hey Lauren,
Reading your post made me realize the obligation that one does feel when being the social media curator. When it was my week to take over the class accounts, I didn’t really think about it that way until I read your post. Now that I reflect on my experience, I remember how I would give a lot of thought on what I would post and had to keep up with how many pictures and tweets I had done so far. I went home for the weekend of my curator week and I would even ask my sister if she thought the ideas I wanted to post were good for a class account.
-Johana
Hey Lauren,
I totally agree, posting on Instagram is a lot more difficult when representing a whole group. I definitely had the most difficulty with Instagram. I think Twitter was easier because there’s less pressure, when scrolling like 3 tweets make a page but only 1 Instagram pic can be on the screen. Who knows!
Btw nice spotify playlist!!
Sanjeet
Hi Lauren,
To start, I really enjoyed your Spotify playlist!
I also noticed that my Instagram posts were random and didn’t really have a common theme. I enjoyed not having to worry about what I was posting, and definitely agree that I wouldn’t post any of these on my own personal account.
Jacob
Hi Lauren,
I really appreciate your Spotify playlist, its really helping me to finish this semester out . I agree with your comment about instagram. A lot of my posts and captions were completely random, and trying to get all the posts in was hard considering I post only 1-2 pictures a month on my personal account. But it was a fun!
-Ebony
Hey Lauren,
I identify heavily with your first couple of sentences where you say that social media is both a blessing and a curse. I have always struggled with my use of social media because part of my thinks it is totally useless and just a waste of time but part of my likes that I am able to keep in touch with my friends even if it is by simply looking through their pictures from a recent trip. I also agree with your thoughts on the class Instagram account. I curate my feed on Instagram as a reflection of my time spent traveling and seeing new places so it has a certain feel to it that I have worked on creating since I started the account while I was abroad last year.
Cheers,
Adam
Hi Lauren!
You and I are on completely different levels when it comes to comfort on social media. I do not post at all, so I did not think much when posting to the class account. Your posts seemed much more natural than most. I thought your pic of the tower with the “L” was hilarious and eerily accurate. Hope all is well!
– JB
Hey Lauren!
I really enjoyed your posts. I agree that social media can have its ups and downs. I think that it is a great way to stay connected with people but at the same time if we spend too much time with social media we disconnect with those close around us. I remember having a hard time thinking about what to post on instagram too. Great job!
-PP