CPMS Three Semester Review

I separate my college experience into two parts; attending UMD virtually versus living on campus are so vastly different that the transition was quite sudden and shocking to me. Being on UMD’s campus is so motivating, being surrounded by people furiously studying late at night in Hornbake, participating in our schools gymnastics troupe, getting to actually see all the tents sprawled out on McKeldin during the first look fair, and living independently for the first time has been amazing, and wholly different from anything I have ever done. I went into Scholars, unsure of if I would truly participate fully because I tend to be introverted, however since everyone is media savvy, I was able to have so many conversations about current events, my favorite books, random viral tiktoks, and so much more. Being with like-minded people promoted me to be more social, which carried on to other aspects of my life. I used this newfound confidence to be a more active member of clubs/organizations I’m involved in. As a part of this, the discussion aspect of Scholars really helped with my growth. Getting into small groups or having the class discussions was incredible as I slowly got more comfortable sharing my opinions and also becoming a more active and empathetic listener. Through this, I was fortunate enough to form bonds with passionate and intelligent people, who inspire me to put more creativity and thought into my work. This community of scholars has been truly invaluable, as it made the process of making friends in a huge university much easier, and more natural.  

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In my personal life, media is used as a purveyor of information and a source of entertainment. I get all of my news through broadcast journalism, newspaper articles, youtube “news” segments, etc. Also so much of my time is spent on Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, just finding content about my interests or keeping me occupied as I go about menial tasks in my day like chores. I truly utilize the duality of media, in that it can be used to expand your knowledge base and as general entertainment. For our society, media is an agenda setter and also a tool to keep those in power in check. Whatever stories media organizations prioritize, will be on the forefront of people’s minds, and it will be what is discussed in classrooms, in casual conversations, and in family dibbers, it will also influence how people vote and even act (will they wear a mask if the news they consume tell them it is unnecessary?). Through scholars, I have a more flexible understanding of the media's role. I used to not really consider the different facets of our lives it impacts- I underestimated how influential it is in politics, and also the ways in which we subconsciously enteralize the messages the media sends us. A lot of the readings from this semester talked about how media can create/reinforce stereotypes, how dominant strictures in society like capitalism can be upheld by media, and how we can utilize it to suit a variety of our needs. The immense possibilities of media has become more clear after being a part of this program. 

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As a Public Health major, much of my career is focused on efforts to make health information more accessible, to promote programs/interventions, to communicate with communities we intend to help, and to spread information about health technologies/resources. All of this will involve using media to make sure all of this data is utilized correctly by and that resources reach the target audience. I will be using social media to promote programs I help create, and I will also be working with news organizations to give information about major new findings, studies, and opportunities in the field. Communication is central to Public Health, and since media is essentially the vast possibilities of communication, it will be key to master it in my career.