Reflection

Starting this semester off, I was so excited to get a better understanding of media and its effects. To be honest, I was not the most excited however, to start this blog. I'm not someone who likes to share personal feelings on the internet and in reality, I haven't posted anything on social media in years, so this assignment was definitely a challenge for me. As I reflect back now, I'm so happy that Dr. Coyne made us keep a blog. I love being able to look back at some of my experiences of media and be able to remember them and remember some of the things that we learned this semester. I have learned so much this semester and I feel that the most important thing that I learned is that media is both good and bad. I feel that sometimes people feel that we have to categorize it as one or the other but I believe it really is both. Media is amazing and has so many good qualities that we can use and cherish it for but we need to be more active in this consumption. We need to be in charge of our media not let it be in charge of us. I have learned how to be more literate in my media intake and be a more active and aware user of it. I have simply loved this class, the way that I not only grew intellectually but also spiritually. I'm grateful for the time, dedication and love that Dr. Coyne has for each of us. This was one of my favorite classes here at BYU and I can’t believe it is already over. Here's to another semester being done!

My Letter for Change

Dear Chloe Chase,

Seventeen Magazine is a valuable resource for teenage girls but there is a way for it to provide even more value; provide certain disclaimers. When I was a teenager growing up, it was not uncommon for me to grab an issue of Seventeen Magazine off the shelf in the super market and beg my mom to buy it for me. It was valuable as it provided all my news updates on celebrities, hair styles, makeup techniques, and all the new fashion aka what to wear. However, even though I enjoyed reading Seventeen Magazine for these reasons, it was also something that made me doubt myself and took a lot of value from me.

As I looked at all these beautiful and perfect faces, I compared them to myself and noticed all my flaws within seconds. As I have grown up, become married, and reflected on deep personal self love issues, I have realized how teenage girls can have so many body issues. The thin and ideal body with perfect skin and faces of these models and celebrities in this magazine are simply not ideal and often false, which can cause some self-esteem issues for people.  I feel that Seventeen Magazine’s mission statement: “to inform, entertain, and give teenage girls all the information they need to make sound choices in their lives” (editor of Seventeen) is not being met.

By providing perfectly edited and photoshopped pictures we are not giving the readers all the information to make sound choices. Girls may starve themselves to become that thin, when in reality, these models only look that way due to editing. We are neglecting the fact that these ideals and comparisons being made are lies. A way that I feel that we can change this is providing fine print by telling your readers, especially teenage girls, that these photos are photoshopped and what has been edited. Providing fine print at the bottom of each picture is giving readers all the information. Some people simply believe that these people are perfect when in fact so many touch ups have been made. This unrealistic view can do such harm when it comes to body issues. Girls striving to look like their favorite celebrities may end up making bad or unhealthy choices in order to obtain the thin ideal or perfection that has been edited in this magazine which is something that none of us should support. 

I am pushing so strongly for this fine print change because I think it will not only help Seventeen to live up to your mission statement but it will also provide honesty with readers. By putting Photoshop in the open, we can help struggling teenager girls see that they are valuable and just because they don’t look perfect doesn’t mean that they are not beautiful and perfect in their own way. Let us provide an honest world where we can tell people the truth and help others see falsehood from reality. Although this will not solve all body issue problems, it is a start that will help so many teenage girls. Let us help the world and unite together to help others overcome difficulties instead of making it harder. Let us add value to readers by not just providing information but also by strengthening their self-esteem through honesty. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely and hoping for change,

Summer Coons

Christmas Time is Here!

I have a rule that may be controversial to others. I don't listen to or discuss anything Christmas related until the day after Thanksgiving. It is very important to me that I focus on being thankful with my family before getting in to the Christmas spirit. But the day after Thanksgiving, my Christmas music starts playing and I'm ready to start watching cliche Christmas movies on Netflix and of course, Hallmark. This week my life has been consumed with both of these things along with decorating my apartment and having the reality of Christmas set in. This week I've watched multiple Christmas movies such as The Christmas Prince and The Princess Switch- both that I highly recommend. As I'm listening to Christmas music and watching these movies- I can't help but reflect how much these things impact me. These forms of media really help me get into the Christmas feel and bring me a form of happiness. It proves to me how impactful media can be in our lives and preparing or getting in the mood for something. This reminds me how much media can affect our moods, feelings and actions. It has such a power that I have to remember which can be for good or for bad. Media helps me get in the Christmas spirit and helps contribute to why I believe it is the most wonderful time of the year.

Putting the phone aside

There is nothing I love more than spending time with my family. After being apart for months, it is so nice to get together and be face to face with those that mean the most to me.  As I was with my family and being in this class, I noticed more than usual the media intake of myself and the people around me. As I've expressed in previous posts about my love for music, I got a better understanding of my undying love for it as I spent time with my family. There is almost always music going on in the background when we are all together. The noise is sometimes forgotten about and at other times we are all singing along to songs that we all love. I realized how much music has been apart of my life and this type of media has such an important part in my life that it was cool to gain an insight into another reason why it is so important to me. Another thing I noticed was cell phone use around my family. Of course there were times when people were swept away onto the online world but for the most part, people put down their phones and really engaged with the people around them. It was enlightening to see how important it is to put phones aside and have face to face interactions. I realized that while phones are amazing in so many ways, it is also amazing to put them down and be involved with what is around us in the moment. I'm grateful for the media that I have but I'm even more grateful for the personal, real, and face to face interactions, conversations and experiences that I have when I put my phone aside.

Rough Week

This past week has been incredibly hard. I woke up Thursday morning to hear tragic news from my hometown Thousand Oaks, California. At first I just received a text from my aunt telling me our family friend was safe and immediately I took to the internet to find out the terrible news. I couldn't believe that a shooting had happened in the safest place or a place I call home. It was devastating and so scary and simply hard to comprehend. Not even 24 hours later, there were fires that were threatening our area. Growing up in California we are known for fires but nothing like this had ever happened. I woke up early Friday morning to the news that my family had to be evacuated in the middle of the night because of the fires. All of Friday I was able to see familiar places completely destroyed. I was able to hear from my mom updates on not only my family and their safety but I also heard about families and friends houses who had burned down. It has been so hard to see photos of the place I call home facing destruction and sometimes, it has been too much to take. However, I want to point out how grateful I am for media during this hard time. I'm grateful that I was able to quickly find out the things on the shooting, or how I'm able to keep updated on the fires. Im grateful for text messages that allow us to quickly communicate messages of safety and updates and be able to stay in contact that way. I'm grateful for the messages of hope and pictures that were able to lift my spirits. While this has been a hard time, it has never been more clear to me how much media can be a tool and a helpful way to receive information and for that I'm grateful. 

Queen

This past Friday night was date night with my husband and part of that date night was going to see the movie Bohemian Rhapsody. As lovers of Queen, we were more than excited to go and spend some time learning more about this iconic band and some of the highlights and low points in their life. As we went sat in the theater, we had the unfortunate experience of sitting in front of people with poor theater etiquette. They talked non-stop, rather loudly I may add, sang along to songs that, no offense, I didn't come to hear them sing, so I could of gone on without, and crazy loud laughing that didn't allow me to hear some of the following lines after a funny one. This really made me think how grateful I am for people who have proper theater etiquette because sometimes it can make or break a movie. However, nothing could break the fun and greatness of this movie. As the movie went on and more songs came on, I was hit with awe with how many hits Queen has released and how awesome and classic their music is. As my husband and I talked after the movie, I thought about how I learned these songs and how I feel important it is to know classic music. It then allowed us to discuss how it is important to us and how great a responsibility it is for us to teach our kids the classic songs and make sure they know what good music is. I have so many memories of blasting Queen songs with my friends on long drives and listening to it with my family, and even choreographing a dance to Don't Stop Me Now. Music stays with us for most of our life and I'm grateful for the reminder of how impactful this type of media is and how much I love it.

In the Movie

This weekend I was able to go back home for my family's annual Halloween weekend. Every year around Halloween time, my siblings and I all travel home to have a family fun filled weekend. Every year we go to Universal Studios Hollywood Horror Nights. Now, this is in California and if you don't know what it is, basically you pay to go to a theme park at night to walk through themed mazes to have people scare you. It is truly the scariest thing ever because it feels like you are actually in a scary movie and things jump out at you. Every year I ask myself why I do it and every year, I have the most fun because there is not only a thrill about getting scared but there is so much fun in watching people get scared. As I was walking around getting scared, I realized the tremendous effect that movies have had. I mean, here I am walking through this "Stranger Things" maze where it looks exactly like the house and I'm getting scared by the actual scary creatures from the show. I mean there is a whole night dedicated to scaring people from people in movies or TV shows. This made me realize how much  movies can effect us and people. Movies have a power to make us feel things or see things differently and I think that it is important to notice these influences and try to be more observant and involved consumers of media and think about how movies influence us in good or bad ways because there are always both types of influences. I think there is such a power in media and we have to acknowledge it.

FaceTime

I absolutely love Face Time. In reality, I don't love looking at my own face or having to hold a camera so close to it, but I do love the faces on the other side of the screen. Every Sunday it is tradition in my family to FaceTime. I love FaceTime so much because while I talk to these family members more than just once a week through calling or texting, I always love at least one time to see them. I feel that it really makes a difference to be able to see peoples faces and be able to connect with them even when you are far apart from them. While being at school, I always feel closer to my parents after our FaceTime calls because I feel that I have a more honest and intimate conversation with them. Also, I feel like FaceTime allows us to be more vulnerable or more open to conversations and I feel that whether I am actually venting or just talking to them, I always feel better after these calls. How amazing is technology that we are now able to do this on a device that we can carry around with us at all times. It is amazing how much the cell phone has changed in my lifetime and to be honest, I don't feel that I am as appreciative as I should be. So, I just wanted to say how appreciative I am for this technology and how much it really has made a difference in my life.

My Background Noise

This week was a crazy busy week. With midterms starting and papers being due what feels like every other day, I feel bombarded and overwhelmed with all that I have to get done. This past week I feel like I have done nothing but go to class and do homework- it has been quite a week. Amongst all my studying, I'm the kind of person who likes background noise (except for when I'm reading) when I'm doing work. Like I've mentioned before, I'm not the biggest fan when it comes to silence when I could have music or the TV on. This week ,TV has been my background noise and primarily they have been reality shows or one other show: The Office. There are a couple shows that I watch at night with my husband but when I need some background noise- The Office is where it is at. Now I have watched this show so many times but I just never get tired of it! It still makes me laugh and I still get the same happy feeling when Jim and Pam finally get together and cringe whenever Michael says something that is just hard to hear. But I love it. This has made me reflect on how TV shows can really impact our lives. My first memories of The Office are when I was younger and actually watched it with my family as the episodes came out on TV. Another memory is when I watched the whole thing on Netflix during the summertime. Another is when I watched it with my cousins for their first time. And now I'm watching it again as a senior in college. I feel like I have grown up with The Office and it is amazing how much media, especially TV shows can go with us through life. This is an amazing realization I had this week that sometimes it is in the things we watch that can trace back to wonderful memories. There are so many positives to media and I'm grateful for The Office and how I've been able to have it with me as I've grown up.

Being More Aware

After our music discussion this past week, I was struck with how much music affects our lives. I'm known to listen to music all the time whether it be getting ready in the morning, walking to school, or doing homework. Music is so important to me. There is just something about a good story and a good beat that really speaks to my soul. As I walked out of lecture Tuesday, I decided to make it my mission to be an active consumer of my music media and see how much of my music is good and uplifting and how it makes me feel. I came to realize how some of my music didn't really have the best message but I loved the beat to it and that is what struck my interest. After learning how important lyrics are and how they can affect us, I decided to make a change. I started actively looking for music that had a positive message. I have noticed subtle changes in my attitude and the way I'm feeling. I don't think I ever listened to bad or really inappropriate music but I definitely feel a change in myself after I've listened to more positive songs. After listening to Soldier in class, I immediately downloaded the song and have now listened to it so many times!  This song now holds a special place in my heart and has really inspired me this week to be a more active and aware consumer of positive and uplifting music.

A Picture To Remember

This past week was hard! On Tuesday, I had to say "see ya later" to my best friend and cousin as she left on her mission to Ecuador. The night was fun and I chose to ignore the reality of how this would be last time I saw her in person for a year and a half. We went to the creamery, out to dinner, and the night was filled with craziness, laughs and fun.  We took pictures before the crying started then the time had come. With tears flowing down our faces and a last hug we both said, "See you soon" and went our separate ways. With so many conflicting and overwhelming emotions, I found myself looking at the pictures we had taken and found myself so grateful that I could always have those with me. Not only these but all the other pictures that I have with her and so many other important people to me. It struck me that this experience, while hard, was one I wanted to remember. While looking at the picture still makes me emotional, this picture is so important to me. How grateful I am for a phone that can take pictures so easily and quickly and hold so much behind each of them- so many memories and moments can be captured so simply! I love pictures because they can hold so much meaning to us in one simple frame. I never realized how much of a blessing it is to be able to use this type of media so easily and almost whenever I want. I'm especially grateful for this technology because it gets to capture moments, big and small, and keep them forever. I'm grateful for the advancement of media and all the blessings it allows us to have. While I feel like media is looked at negatively, I think it is so important to realize the positives of media and truly how lucky we are to have this technology. This has been my focus this week- how blessed I am for something that may seem small but is truly one of the best things that I have.

The Unexpected

This past week, one of the worst things happened after my final class of the day - my headphones broke. I mean I plugged them in to my phone and the metal part clipped off leaving me with no way to listen to my always reliable music on my trek home. At first, I was shook and couldn't quite comprehend what happened (I realize now how silly and absurd it is that I got that annoyed, but those headphones have been through a lot with me!) There is nothing worse to me than not being able to listen to music and I found myself wondering what I would do on my long walk home. With my headphones now gone, may they rest in peace, I was stuck without my media and I found it so quiet, maybe a little too quiet. I found myself taking in more of the settings around me. As I tuned in to other sounds around me, I noticed things such as scuffing of feet as they walk, or the crackling of a wrapper being crumpled up, and my favorite, a dog barking. I also found myself looking at other people more and seeing if they had headphones in or not.  My thoughts also seemed to be more focused and now that I think of it, it was peaceful. While I love my walks home filled with music, I came to realize how much I rely on this media and really how much it can prevent using times for clear, focused thoughts.  While I can't say that I won't walk home with my new headphones in my ears, I will say that I will take them out on walks home at least once every week to take a break from my media and to really take in what it is around me. This reminded me how media can be so consuming in our lives that it really is best to just take a break- even if it is hard at times!