Right off the bat, we spy the film’s first use of product placement in the opening scene. We see Juno drinking and lugging around a gallon of Sunny Delight, a popular citrus drink blend. She constantly refers to the beverage and explains that she is drinking it in order to “generate enough pee” to take a pregnancy test. She buys and takes the pregnancy test at her local convenience store. The test is generic but she selects it off of a shelf lined with Advil, Tylenol, and First Response. When Juno talks about the positive result with the cashier, he responds that the test “ain’t no Etch- a-Sketch”, as she tries to shake the plus sign off the test.

Paulie Bleeker, played by Michael Cera, is the best friend as well as the boy who impregnated Juno. He is also seen using product names in the film. Before he goes running, Bleeker has a Hot Pocket. However, his favorite snack in the film is orange Tic-Tacs. This tiny breath mint is often brought up in the movie. At one point, Juno even surprises Bleeker by filling his mailbox with the Tic-Tacs, as a present before she tells him that she’s in love with him.

The part where Juno first meets Vanessa and Mark is also filled with product placement. We find out that this high- class couple is the potential adoptive family of Juno’s baby. Vanessa played by Jennifer Garner, shows off their upscale lifestyle by displaying Family Circle and Traditional Home magazines on the coffee table. She also offers Juno and her father pricey beverages such as Pellegrino and Vitamin Water. However, Juno contrasts the couple’s clean cut style. Vanessa is dressed to the nines, with pearls and a cable-knit sweater, while Juno sports ripped jeans and a graphic t-shirt with a “Slinky” advertisement on it. Instead of accepting the fancy drink offer, the pregnant, underage Juno sarcastically asks for a “Maker’s Mark”. All though Vanessa is slightly taken back by the remark, her husband Mark, played by Jason Bateman, enjoys Juno’s nonchalant humor. Mark even shows Juno his laid-back style by sharing his “Les Paul” guitars and love of music with her. They discuss that “Gibson is way better than Fender” when talking about guitar brands.

Food brands also seem to be a big contributor in product placement. We often see Juno drinking 7eleven Big Gulp slurpees throughout the movie. Her high school has Coca-Cola and Minute Maid vending machines in the cafeteria. Even Juno and her friend Leah drink from Coca-Cola cups during lunch. During Juno’s ultrasound when Leah pokes fun at her baby’s head, Juno responds “I am a sacred vessel. All you’ve got is Taco Bell in your stomach”. There is a lot of product placement and references in the film.

Even though there is so much product placement in “Juno”, only a few really stood out to me. I believe the most successful and noticed brands were Sunny Delight and the orange Tic-Tacs. These were probably chosen for this movie because they are mostly used by young people, such as Juno and Bleeker. These products in particular remind me of my childhood and bring me back. In some ways, Juno is a child and she is not taking her pregnancy as seriously as most people would. These products remind the audience that Juno is still a child, which is important to the meaning behind the film. Other successful products are reference in silly lines that the characters say, such as the cashier’s “Etch-a-Sketch” line or Juno’s “Taco Bell” line. These products are memorable because the lines are very funny and people like to quote movies. This movie is also targeted to young audiences; therefore it is important that they keep products popular and up to date. I feel the product placement used in “Juno” was a great success.

It was the summer before my junior year of high school. My mom and I were at one of Hayley’s swim meets, and she was lounging on one of the pool chairs reading her newest book club pick. My sister and she had been fighting over the book all week, since Hayley stole her book and started reading it too. As soon as Hayley was done her race she came over to our lounge chair. She noticed my mom’s book and they instantly started gossiping over it and the main characters. They acted as though they knew the characters, and that the situation in the book was part of their real lives. They were talking about how at times they throw the book across the room because they were so angry with the mother, or how they stayed up crying over how amazing it was. It seemed like such an intense book that I had to know what it was about. They started explaining the plot outline. It was about some girl who didn’t want to give up a kidney for her dying sister, the mother was crazy, and there was a lot of court cases and legal talk. Personally, I don’t like legal cases or lawyers so I was pretty uninterested in the book after they gave me the play by play. I decided to let my sister and my mom continue their book feud, and stay out of their line of fire.

Summer finally came to an end, and my junior year was on the rise. I remember sitting in my English III classroom, going over our syllabus, and right there in big bold letters was the title of my mother’s dreaded book on our required reading list. I didn’t know it then, but I was complaining about one of the best books that I was about to read in my life.

As soon as I began flipping through the first few pages of my school’s copy of “My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult, I was instantly sucked in. It was as though the paperback binding was super glued to my fingers. I just couldn’t put it down. “My Sister’s Keeper” is a fictional book about a teenage girl named Anna who sues her parents for the rights to her own body. She was born to be a donor for her older sister Kate, who was diagnosed with leukemia. Now, Anna is faced with the decision to donate her kidney to sister, but she is fed up and hires a lawyer to defend her case.

The book was absolutely amazing. Every chapter kept me on the edge of my seat. The way Jodi Picoult wrote the book was so unique and unlike any other author I’ve read before. Each chapter was written from a different character’s point of view, and the font would also be different, representing each character’s style. The novel itself was so inspiring. It taught me to be supportive of my family, but at times you also need to respect yourself and beliefs too. Anna was so strong and responsible in her situation. She was extremely mature and did not get mad when her mother was infuriating and unfair. My mom, sister, class, and I all discussed how much we couldn’t stand Anna’s mother, how brave we thought she was, and how unfair her situation was. I was glad that my English teacher had us read the book, because if it wasn’t for her I could not have had those discussions with my mom and sister. I remember coming home every day afterschool to talk to them about the book and what I had just read. Gossip over the characters started flowing, and I finally realized what I was missing out on during the summer.

I was truly inspired by “My Sister’s Keeper”. Anna was so brave and her story was amazing. I know that if my sister, or anyone else in my family for that matter, needed a donation I would give it to them in a heartbeat. However, I would also stand up for what I believe in if the situation got sticky. I’m still not sure if I could be as strong as Anna and stand up to my parents’ requests. I know that if Sara was my mother, I don’t think I could’ve held my tongue like Anna did. Anna’s story taught me to rise above what is expected, and to stand up for my values. The ending of the book was also earth- shattering, showing me that anything can happen in life. We shouldn’t take things for granted. This book has seriously changed my life.

I believe my parents exposed me to that entire Disney media, because they supported all of the wonderful values that Disney taught us. They didn’t mind buying us “Pocahontas” night gowns or “Aladdin” lunchboxes, because they believed in the Disney culture, and the love and innocence it brought with it. I think they were proud to have their children wearing and advertising such an inspiring franchise. Disney teaches kids so many important life lessons. All of my favorite Disney movies were centered on teamwork, the importance of friends and family, and following your dreams. All of the movie’s characters, whether they are from “Oliver and Company” to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, are always there for each other, through thick and thin. The movies teach children to help their friends and family, be supportive, and possibly become a leader. They learn that they too can be the hero, and will want to achieve their goals like their favorite characters did. I know I learned that I could do anything I wanted to, as long as I put my mind to it.

I feel that Disney also brings families closer together. My mom would listen and sing along with us to our “Lion King” soundtrack when driving us to her errands or our pre-schools. My dad loved coming home to us crawling and bouncing on the couches in the costumes, while singing to “Hakuna Matata”. They even threw Hayley a “Lion King” themed party for her fourth birthday. We also had movie nights, played Disney matching games, and colored Disney books together. My grandparents and cousins loved joining us on our family excursions to Disney World. My cousin Katie, Hayley, and I still talk about the time we made fun of all the ghosts on the “Haunted Mansion” ride. Even when it would rain at the park, my family would match and laugh together about our silly yellow ponchos. My dad would always bring his camcorder to the park to capture all of our memories. Once the day was over, we would beg to watch the home videos together as a family. The magic of Disney really does bring family together, and for that I am proud to say that I grew up in the wonderful world of Disney culture. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

A review from an article from “The Wallstreet Journal”.

Dr. Michael Tomblyn, a radiation oncologist for the University of Minnesota Center, came across a baffling case of a patient with a protruding eye from its socket. He talked to several other doctors for advice on the case and possible solutions to the problem. However, Dr. Tomblyn did not receive the ultimate diagnosis of the patient in person.  He found it out through a social networking site that he and his colleagues were using to discuss the case. This site is called Sermo.com, which is a social-networking site specifically designed for licensed physicians. It is a great way for thousands of doctors to meet regularly and share and discuss their experience in the medical field.

Social networking, made popular by teenage user sites such as Facebook and MySpace, has now become a widespread growing way to communicate in the corporate world. Some professional social networking sites include LinkedIn and INmobile.org. These sites allow executives to share contact information and job details with one another. Users can post message boards and participate in chats. They can even create their own profile pages with blogs.

However, businesses have been a little hesitant with using social networking sites. Some employees are nervous to provide too much information to possible competitors. They are also afraid to embarrass themselves and their companies in the online world.  Others feel they don’t have enough time to devote to these sites, because they are already too busy with their businesses.

Sermo, however, is much different from most social networking sites used in the corporate world. The doctors are more concerned with professional matters, such as finding cures, getting treatment advice, and learning about other physicians’ medical experiences, than making friends. Therefore, Sermo users do not need to use their real names on the site.  They do however have to disclose medical credentials and some personal information when signing up to make sure they are real doctors. It’s strictly business.

I found this article to be very interesting. I had no idea that social networking sites were becoming so popular in the business world. Sermo sounds like a great contribution to the medical field. It seems like a wonderful way to communicate with doctors worldwide. I assume that physicians have much better access to information and advice, because they can get it from thousands of sources and professionals, rather than their colleagues that they know from their community, office, or hospital. However, I did find it strange that they could only read about other doctors’ discoveries and experiences. I believe a great improvement to the site would be giving the users the ability to upload videos, pictures, and diagrams of certain procedures and lectures. I feel that would make the site more interactive and give the doctors a better understanding of the information they are potentially receiving. Maybe this could be in the future for the site. Otherwise, I think Sermo and other professional, social networking sites are an amazing contribution to their companies, as well as their future.

After tuning into my daily “SpongeBob SquarePants” intake, I decided to check out nick.com, Nickelodeon’s official website. The first thing I noticed was the design of the website. It has a white background with the Nickelodeon logo in the upper left-hand corner. Because it is for kids, the site is very easy to navigate. Characters’ smiling faces from popular Nick shows are plastered across the top as links that viewers can click on to take them to a particular show’s page. Below the character links, are video advertisements for a Capri Sun commercial, a new show called “Brain Surge”, and Nickelodeon games.  The website also promotes outside advertisers such as celebrity quiz sites, Lucky Charms, McDonalds, Barbie.com, and Neopets. Neopets is a mystical, virtual world where kids can explore, shop, play games, and adopt and take care of magical pets.

Along the top are also links to games, videos, shows, and music from popular Nickelodeon shows. These bold, orange links include a symbol of what the link will take you to. For example, a television set appears over the “shows” link when you wave your cursor over it. The bold links not only make the site easily accessible to older kids, but also to children who can’t even read yet.

The site includes a link to daily Nickelodeon television schedules. It allows users to see when their favorite shows and episodes are playing that day.  I found it interesting that the TV schedule ran only from 6:30am to 7:30pm. However, what I found most intriguing was the types of shows played during these times. I noticed that from 6:30am to 8:30am, shows such as “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “The Fairly OddParents” run. Then from 8:30am to 2:00pm, Nick Jr. (shows for pre-schoolers) is shown. Lastly, from 2:00pm to 8:00pm, regular Nickelodeon is back on again, showing “SpongeBob”, “iCarly”, and more.

I realized that this pattern was intentional. The shows for older kids are shown in the morning, as soon as they wake up and get ready for school, and resume in the mid-afternoon when they come back home up until when their bedtime is. Nick Jr. is directed towards children who are too young to go to school, or kids who attend daycare. These pre-school shows are squeezed in between the grade school viewers’ shows. Because, pre-schoolers are the only Nickelodeon viewers at home during the daytime, these types of shows are aimed towards them. However, once the older kids come back from school, their shows start up again, that way they don’t have to miss a beat. I believe Nickelodeon sets up its schedule for the older kids this way, so that they can consume the program’s media from the time they wake up to the time they fall asleep, without feeling that they’ve missed out on their favorite shows.

 As I explore the Nickelodeon home page, I see more links for games and videos. These links have miniature pictures and video screens advertising what the viewer may want to enjoy. The pictures have a tiny description next to it explaining what the game or video is about. Subcategories of games and videos are “Now being played” and “Now being watched”. Kids can choose play popular games and videos that other kids are using. Being able to see what peers enjoy may possibly persuade kids to choose those activities. Users can even submit comments about the games and videos. The comments appear in big conversation balloons with the kid’s user name next to it. Yes, children can actually sign up to become members of this website. They can login underneath a tiny picture of a cartoon boy avatar that says “MyNick”, in the upper right-hand corner of the home page.

Another option for members is the “UPick Daily” link, located at the top of the home page. By clicking this link, users are brought to a page where they can create their own posts, polls, and quizzes for other members to take. They can also participate in other members’ polls and quizzes too. Users can even search for a variety of different activities pertaining to shows, movies, games, music, celebrities, sports, and more.

However, what is most surprising is kids can become members of Nicktropolis, a social networking site for Nickelodeon viewers. It allows kids to select an avatar to represent them. They can play games, visit rooms, and chat with other members. They can even view message boards and post blogs. Thankfully, Nicktropolis is very safe. When kids sign up, all they need to do is come up with a nickname and a password. They do not need to give any personal information to become a member. The social networking site also has Parental Controls on it, so parents can filter what their kids are allowed to see and do.

I have noticed that with every page I have clicked on while exploring nick.com, has a big white box at the bottom of the page. This white box is titled “Nickelodeon Kids and Family Websites”, and includes several different sites that are sponsored by Nickelodeon. They are also kid-friendly and can be enjoyed by parents too. Links include “Nick Jr.”, “Neopets”, “Spongebob.com”, “Parents Connect”, and much more. It even includes links to Nick Family Cruise, and Nick Family Resort. Nickelodeon is clearly a very successful company. It owns so many types of media, such as shows, movies, music, an interactive website, merchandise, a theme park, and its own family cruise line, hotels, and resorts. It is also advertises other websites, McDonalds, Barbie, and Lucky Charms. The website is kid-friendly and very entertaining with its thousands of online games and video clips. It even has a social networking site that is safe for kids to play on, and that parents approve.  My only suggestion for improvement for the site is that they make the safety rules for Nicktropolis bigger, simpler, and more available throughout the site. Some kids may get themselves in trouble if they don’t follow the rules, but thankfully parents can intervine with the Parental Control option. Otherwise, I thought the site was a great success and an excellent contribution to the Nickelodeon viewers and industry.

This is my hour-by-hour journal of observing my environment’s, as well as my own, media usage for two consecutive days.

Wednesday, September 15, 2009: Today is the first day of my media experiment, and I’m quite excited to find out what the day has in toll for me.

10:25am- I wake up to the sound of the alarm on my cell phone vibrating like crazy. I flip the phone open just to shut it off, but did not review any of the text messages from the night before, like I usually do. I get ready, with no music or background noise from the TV. However, I do observe my roommate, Liz, using her cell phone to call her doctor. She puts it on speakerphone so she can get ready hands free, and the sounds of the call waiting music and advertisements plays throughout our room.

10: 50am- Liz and I start walking to class together. We discuss getting lunch after her class is over at 12:15pm. However, my class ends at 11:50am, so I ask her what I should do while I wait for her. She tells me to rent some movies to watch tonight. We mention getting “Dazed and Confused” and “The Emperor’s New Groove”. We then further discuss how funny and amazing that Disney movie is, concluding that it has to be the best movie of all time! It is definitely in my “top”. Liz and I go our separate ways, when she stops for class at Smith Hall. My class is still a ways away in the new College of Liberal Arts building.  Within seconds, I’m exposed to so much media! There are advertisements for Towson clubs, the job fair this Friday, and local bands promoted in sidewalk chalk all over the ground. Students walk past me sporting T-shirts with logos from their favorite stores, bands, and teams. I passed by kids on their cell phones and listening to their I-Pods. Some even on both! I even spot two kids smoking cigarettes and blasting rock music from a laptop, covered in skateboard company bumper stickers! Before I finally reach my building, I witness the construction next door, each crane and dump truck covered in their company’s construction logo.

11:00am- I enter my Human Development class and sit down.  I spot students with drink bottles on their desks. These bottles, of course, have their brand names plastered on the labels around them. Some students have their cell phones out, too. My friend, next to me, texts under the table, to avoid being caught by our teacher. I’m tempted to text my boyfriend ,Greg, a “good morning” text, but I refrain from the idea. A large projection screen hangs on the front wall. My teacher plays around on the computer, clicking on video links, before class starts. She also talks on a landline phone. We finally begin class, and take notes off of a power point.

11:50am- Class is over, and I begin walking over to the Union to meet Liz for lunch. To kill time I go to the University Store, and look around. Again, I am bombarded with media! From a Dell computer hooked up to a plasma screen TV, advertising some sort of product, to Towson logos plastered all over sweatshirts, notebooks, you name it! There are magazines and posters for sale that show off popular bands, movies, and celebrities. Greeting cards line the shelves, as well. I also go to the video store and pick up our movies, like I promised Liz. “Shaun of the Dead” is featured on the store’s TV, and I comment on it to the cashier.

12:10pm- I am still waiting for Liz. I text her to say I’m outside of Paws. Then, I go to the bank to withdraw money for this weekend, when I visit Greg at James Madison University, Friday. Once, I make my transaction, I notice that the balance is a little off, and call my mom about it.

12:20pm- Liz finally arrives, and we decide to get yogurt and tea to bring back to our dorm.

12:30pm- We go back to our dorm. Just as I’m about to get on the elevator, my RA, Andi, stops me to vote for Building Council. I hang around to talk to Andi and another RA, Shay, and they invite me to the “America’s Next Top Model” event that Shay is hosting tonight. I accept the invitation and we talk about the show.

1:00pm- I head upstairs to eat and sit down at my desk. I open my laptop to work on and edit my Electronic Media and Film paper. Instead of clicking on the Microsoft Word button, I subconsciously click on the Internet Explorer button. It surprises me, and I exit out of it instantly. I open up Microsoft Word and finish my paper. During the typing, my friend Mike texts me that he won’t be able to make it to class, because it’s his birthday, and he wants to know if I can sign him in. I tell him that I’m actually not in his class, but wish him a “Happy Birthday” anyway. He apologizes that he had the wrong “Marissa”.

1:30pm- My paper is finished, and the clock on my computer informs me that I have 30 minutes before my EMF class starts. I lay down in bed to rest for a little bit. Within a few minutes, my mom texts me that she has deposited more money into my account. I thank her and tell her that she is the best mother ever. I get up to go to class.

2:00pm- EMF class starts. We watch several video and YouTube clips that pertain to our lesson. The class gets boring. There is no clock in the room, so I look at my cell phone for the time.

3:15pm- Class is over. I talk to my friend, Amy, on the way back to my dorm.

3:30pm- I get back to my room. I clean up my side a bit, and fold and put away my laundry. I really don’t have much to do, so I take a nap. I set my alarm on my cell phone for 6:00pm.

6:00pm- My alarm on my cell phone goes off. I realize that I am hungry and text my friend, Danielle, if she wants to go get dinner. Danielle texts back that she is at work. Instead, I just head upstairs to my friend, Sakina’s room.

6:05pm- Sakina, our friends Leteisha and Ashleigh, and I all hang out in her room. I ask them to get dinner, but they’ve already eaten. Instead, we talk about our plans for the weekend and how excited we are. Sakina also shows me her new stereo sound system that she got for her computer. She bought it off of E-Bay and it’s awesome! We listen to her I-Tunes library, while we chat.

7:45pm- Liz texts me that she is back from work and wants to know if I want to get dinner. I’m starving and instantly accept. I bid the girls farewell, and head down to the Glen Dining Hall with Liz.

8:30pm- We come back from dinner, and I remember that Shay’s “Top Model” event is happening right now. I rush up to the 7^th floor, and watch the rest of the show. We all discuss the models’ behaviors, photographs, and who we think will win the challenge.

9:00pm- The event is over, and I head back downstairs to my room. Liz and I were just invited to go over to Mike’s apartment to celebrate his 19th birthday. However, the boys are still at Applebee’s, so we have to wait for them to come back. To pass time, Liz pops in “Dazed and Confused”! The movie is awesome and so funny!  Half way through the movie, our friend Andrew, who also lives in the apartment, calls us to say that they are back home and we can come over.

11:00pm- Liz and I walk from the Glen Towers to Towson Run Apartments. It’s raining, of course, and we look silly with our hoods on, but at least they keep us dry. We get to the apartment, hug Mike and wish him a “Happy Birthday”, and give him his birthday present of cookies and candy! We all hang out, eat cake, and discuss the game. It was a lot of fun, but we had to leave because it was getting pretty late.

12:30am- Ryan, our other friend who lives in the apartment, drives us home. We get to our room, and finish “Dazed and Confused”. 

1:30am- I take a shower, and then hit the hay!

Thursday, September 17, 2009:  Day 2 of my media experiment.

9:00am- I wake up to my cell phone alarm going off. I get ready, with no music, TV, or roommate on the phone.

9:20am- I walk to class. Again, I am surrounded by media! There are kids on their phones and listening to I-Pods.  Some people wear their favorite team’s football and basketball jerseys, while others are decked out in Towson University gear.

9:30am- I arrive to my second EMF course of this semester. The teacher is late, so students entertain themselves with their cell phones, I-Pods, and the latest issue of the “Towerlight” newspaper.

9:35am- The teacher arrives. He sets up his Power Point on the big projector screen, and turn on his individual wireless microphone that he uses for class. Some students open up their laptops to take notes, while some leave their cell phones out on their desks or in their laps. We begin taking notes. The whole class is about media! Today’s lecture is on Radio Technology. How ironic!

10:00am- A kid gets busted by the teacher for playing on his laptop, instead of taking notes! He was probably on Facebook or YouTube, I assume.

10:45am- Class is over. I head to Susquehanna dining hall to get breakfast. After I’m done, I buy a two bagels and snacks for my train ride to JMU tomorrow. I also buy a Gatorade, with the infamous logo staring at me straight in the face.  

11:30am- I head back to my room, and put my snacks in the fridge. I then take a nap. I set my cell phone alarm to wake me up at 1:30pm, for my Mass Communications class!

1:30pm- I wake up, get ready, and head off to class.

2:00pm- Mass Communications class begins! We start going over our quizzes from the previous class, and then take notes off the Power Point slides. We also watch a couple of YouTube videos on “Vlogging”, and discuss the Video Music Awards scandal! Lastly, we talk about the impact of Facebook and cell phones on children of this generation. I love MCOM class!

3:15pm- Class is over. I head to the Union quickly. I realized earlier I needed to by earphones for my I-Pod, since my old ones broke the other day. I especially need them today, because I want to be able to listen to my I-Pod tomorrow during my five hour train ride to JMU!

3:45pm- I come back to my dorm, and begin typing up this blog!

6:15pm- I am still working on my blog, but I need to call it quits soon. I have an event hosted by my sorority Phi Mu, at the Center of the Arts Building at 7pm. It’s called “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know”, and about the effects and awareness towards high-risk drinking.

6:30pm- I head over to the Center of the Arts Building for our event! I’m so excited!

9:00pm- I just got back from the program, and It was great! We watched a video about high-risk drinking and learned about the dangers behind it. For the rest of the night, I’m going to finish up my blog, pack for my trip to JMU, shower, and sleep. Tomorrow’s a busy day and I can’t wait to see what it has in store!

This two day media experience has taught me a lot. I realized that I, along with many students, like to use their cell phones and I-Pods. However, I found it quite interesting that some students would use both at the same time! It was almost as though they were trying to block out the outside world. However, the most interesting part of it was that they would use these devices early in the morning too! I know that at 9am I barely have any energy to walk to class, let alone lift a cell phone up to my ear! I have also noticed that I am quite dependent on my cell phone. I use it as my alarm, my watch, and my way to communicate with people. I also found out that I use media as a way of entertainment and to pass the time. My most shocking discovery, however, was my subconscious drive to use the Internet. This was especially noticeable to me when I clicked on the Internet Explorer symbol, instead of the Microsoft Word link! When that browser popped up, I knew I was subconsciously addicted to the Internet. Sometimes, I just waste hours on Facebook without even realizing it, and that’s a huge problem! This experiment definitely made me realize how much media influences my life.

I Might Just Die…

Now this is a much different experience. I am taking on the most risky, seemingly impossible, “would rather lose my foot than my cell phone” task ever! Yes, I’m going to go two consecutive days without media! That means no cell phones, rock ‘n’ roll, “Friends” re-runs, Facebook, or Cosmopolitan magazine! I might just die…

Day One: Thursday, September 10, 2009

Today is the first day of Panhellenic Rush. Like I mentioned before, I am an active member of my sorority, Phi Mu. I absolutely love it! This morning I woke up for my 9:30am EMF class. It was actually really lovely to not have that obnoxious buzzing in my ear from my cell phone’s alarm. Instead, I had my roommate, Liz, wake me up, because we have class at the same time on Thursdays. It was really nice too, because it reminded me of how my mom would do that for me in middle school.  

By the middle of the day during my break between my classes, I was feeling a little anxious without my cell phone on me. I always text my boyfriend, Greg, everyday, so I was feeling a little “off” having no contact with him today. However, knowing I had a long, wonderful conversation on the phone with him the night before reassured me that everything would be okay. Pl us, I would be really busy this weekend with Rush, so I would barely have any time to talk to him in the first place.

Once my second class was over, I ran back to the dorm to get ready for my first Rush party. I had barely any time to stop and breathe, because I was already a little bit late. Therefore, with the quick change of outfits, fast makeup and hair straightening, and attempts to scarf down a meal in less than a minute, there really was no time to fit in a text session with Greg. 

As soon as I got to our party room in the Union, I was on my feet and busy.  I had to hang up banners, set up chairs, decorate tables, and basically cover the room with pink! Our theme for the night was Victoria’s Secret Pink, because my sorority’s signature colors are pink and white. Now, I know this advertisement and company is a form of media, but since it was a theme for our chapter’s Rush party, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.

Once the parties started, our cell phones had to disappear. It would be very rude to text in front of the new girls coming to our parties, and they would serve as distractions. I was very thankful that this rule applied to everybody now, because it would decrease my desires to check my phone. However, once all the parties were over for the night, I was dying to flip open my phone. I wanted to see if I had any missed calls or texts, but I knew I couldn’t do it. Instead, Liz and I walked back to our dorm, completely exhausted from standing on our feet, in point black heels, for eight hours! All I wanted to do was take a shower and go to sleep. And, that’s exactly what I did.

Day Two: Friday, September 11, 2009

I slept through my Human Development class, on purpose, today. I just needed those extra hours to sleep, because I was so tired from last night. I woke up on my own, got ready, and ran up to my friend Danielle and Kristina’s room. They’re both in Phi Mu with me, so it was fun getting ready with them. We walked over to the Union, complaining and laughing about the rain together!

Once again, as soon as I stepped foot into that second party room, I was put to work. There was also no way to play with my cell phone, because my dress didn’t have any pockets, and my hands were already filled with ribbon that needed to be tied around the chairs. Luckily, we had a quick second to sneak away to get some bagels from Paws for our lunch/ dinner, but even then my cell phone was left back in the room. 

As soon as the second round of parties started up, everyone’s cell phones vanished. Unfortunately, I could escape all media. Tonight’s party theme was “Video Night”. We had made a video montage, filled with pictures and hit songs, to show the new girls. It was a lot of fun dancing to the music, and cheering for my sisters, but I felt bad that I couldn’t completely avoid media. However, once the parties were over, I, once again, refrained from checking my phone. I just ended up going back to my dorm with Liz. We took our showers, and went to sleep, to prepare ourselves for the next day.  

This experience taught me that I can go without my cell phone for a few days. I actually did not die in the end! Yes, I was very tempted to play with it, but being so busy those two days, made it easier to leave it alone. I now know that I need to just keep myself busy and entertained with other things, to avoid temptation. Surrounding myself with other non- media users helps a lot as well. However, it is impossible to avoid media completely in today’s society. People will still play with their phones and listen to music. There will always be advertisements for some sort of product out there. But, that’s okay. Media shapes our generation. It helps us communicate better and faster. We just need to be mindful of how much we are using, and make time for other things, too. Media is important in our lives and I am very thankful for that.