Diary of Phone: Carly M

 

 

1. How many times I used my phone

• 39

 

2. The total hours and minutes I spent on my phone

• 3.81 hours
• 228.55 minutes

 

3. The total textual, social, and both inter-activities

• Textual= 4
• Social=17
• Both= 18

 

4. The activities completed on my phone under the associated interactivity

Textual:

• Texting- 4

Social:

• Twitter- 11
• Instagram- 14
• Phone call- 3
• Face time- 1
• Weather app- 4
• Pandora- 2
• Youtube- 1

Both:

• Snapchat- 25
• Email- 12

 

5. The activities that were happening when I used my phone

• Studying/homework- 6
• With friend- 8
• Netflix- 3
• Eating- 5
• Working out- 1
• Before bed/getting up/shower/class- 6
• Nothing- 10

 

My Phone & The Assignment

By linking both a notebook and pen to my daily activity of checking my phone, I found that throughout my 48hr period, I became more and more less inclined to check my phone. When I would turn on my phone to check the lock screen, if only just to see the time, I would almost automatically slide to open it. I then found myself to go through and check my usual ‘go to’ apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, email, and Twitter. I did not have notifications, but the idea of having my phone light up got me excited at the prospect of what I may have missed while away. As I wrote down each entry I do not feel as though I became more aware of my phone usage, but more so the monotonous routine that I have when I do use it, which is checking every social platform at once. Since I was forced to use a specific notebook and pen, I tried my best to take them everywhere I went, as I do my phone, but I think writing them in my phone would have worked better for me, though definitely not practical in terms of the assignment. As a college student I am regularly on my computer, just as much as my phone actually. On my toolbar I have sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube already bookmarked, which allowed me to in a sense cheat the system with what actually is my daily routine. This is also exampled by the directions to use a specific pen and notebook, as I use specific sites on my phone. Just as I sometimes would reach for any pen around, I would also reach for another electronic device, such as my computer to connect. Though, since certain apps are already installed on my phone I am in a sense ‘forced’ to use them. This is similar to the notebook and pen as I was forced to use the specific notebook to record my data, but I worked my way around not always using the pen, just as I have the power to do with my phone and layout of its apps. As proved by this assignment, technology gives us the tools to operate in this social world, but it is up to the own individual on how we use it. I, for example, never had Twitter until this year, but now find myself checking this application on a regular basis.

My Phone & Me

From this assignment I found that in relation to my classmates I use my phone a relatively average amount. Though, then I thought about how my usage would compare to my parents or even grandparents, most likely very different. I enjoy visiting more social sites where as my mother frequents calling and Facetime. I never had social media until I was a senior in high school simply because everyone I knew or was ‘friends’ with I saw everyday, and I really just had no interest in what people were doing. Now though I see the benefit of this technology. Before I graduated high school I observed the drifting of my classmates, and realized that in just a short time I would not see many of these people again, and would soon be forced to make new friends in college. With this fact quite apparent I made an Instagram and Facebook in order to keep up with the current state of culture I live in, where not having these platforms labels you as bizarre. I tend to most agree with Henry Jenkins who says that, “Not every member must contribute, but all must believe they are free to contribute and that what they contribute will be appropriately valued”. I believe that this discussion applies to my own technology use, as I did not use social media because I was unsure on how to, as well as if what I had to say would contribute to the online world. Though, once I started using technology and social media I now see how beneficial it is to connect and learn from others, as well as grow as a digitally literate human through my time utilizing different spaces. I now find myself to be much more in tune to what exactly goes into posting the perfect picture and creating the most unique tweet. My addition to social spaces has awarded myself the opportunity to participate in this 21st century online world and contribute my views. Social media has turned into an occupation, a job that at one point was never even thought of, and so knowing how to utilize these spaces effectively I now see as very beneficial.

My Phone & The Future

My relationship with my phone is definitely not one of dependence, though sometimes it feels that way. As I have gotten more used to social media I do not check it as often. With the exception of Snapchat, which I am an avid examiner of, I have come to the realization that I can scroll through Instagram and Twitter at any time, and do not need to be constantly updated. I feel that each social media or app on my phone serves a different purpose. Most apps are for ease of daily activities such as weather or Pandora, whereas my social media serves a dual purpose. I use these spaces to connect with close friends in order to stay in touch, but I also use it to get in touch with others as well as find inspiration for my own projects. Self-promotion seems to be at the basis for all of my applications, as I need to know the weather outside to know what to wear in order to possibly take a picture to put on Instagram from which I got inspiration from Pinterest or Tumblr. I never hope to become solely dependent on my phone for social interactions, which is why I try to mentally monitor as best I can the amount of time I spend on my phone. I personally see social media as not just a way to connect, but also a way to promote myself. My Instagram feed is a reflection of myself, and though we do not like to admit it, it is what most people will judge a person on first. What we put on our social media is directly linked to our names, which for some can be seen as negative. In my opinion, if you know how to use social media, are literate in this online world, and realize the content you are putting out there, technology overall is a very valuable tool.