Hello There: Introductory Post

Hello There


My name is Tess Boegel and--full disclosure--I'm creating this blog as an assignment for school. The purpose of this blog is to act as an ongoing homework assignment for my Social Media Communications class. Now that sounds really, REALLY boring, and I've probably lost some of you there. That's ok. However, if you are interested in learning how social media algorithms gather information on their users, how big corporations market themselves to you using psychology, and how social media is changing more about our lives than we think; then maybe you should stick around. 

But I should probably tell you a little bit about myself before we get into all of that. 

I'm a Senior in College, majoring in English and double minoring in Communications and Creative Writing (because I just love having too much on my plate). I just got back from a study abroad trip in Prague. 

(Above: Me, failing to pose for a picture)

I'm the second oldest of four siblings. My older sister Natalie (Nat) got married last year. 

(Above: Nat and her boyfriend husband, Dave)

My younger sister Charlotte (Char, or if I REALLY want to embarrass her, Charizard) is exactly 16 months and eight days younger than me and is also in college, but she goes to school in New York. 
 

(Above: Char looking flawless and me continuing to not know how to pose for pictures)

Edward (Eddie, occasionally Ed) is my little brother who I cannot believe is seventeen already I swear he was seven last year. He also only allows his picture to be taken if there's an animal in the foreground.

(Above: Eddie and Houdini the lizard)

My Mom and Dad recently celebrated their 31st Wedding Anniversary. 

(Above: my parents on a date, look at these two <3)

And our most recent addition to the family is a standard poodle puppy named Cerberus (Eddie got to pick the name) that we got this summer. He'll be a year old on January 31st.

(Above: he stretch, long boy)


A single word that could best describe me would probably be "nerd". I love fantasy novels; from J.R.R. Tolkien to Brandon Sanderson to Evan Winter. I want to write my own one day (that's what that second minor is for). I actually have the first two-ish chapters of a poor attempt at literature somewhat completed. I love sci-fi classics like Star Wars and Star Trek, and I'm the Treasurer of the Star Wars: Saber Club on campus. 
(Above: Yes, that is my mom calling me inside)

I also love to draw and make origami and play DnD. 

But enough about me. Let's talk a little bit about what the main subject of this blog will be: social media. 

What is social media? Seems like an obvious question, but coming up with a definition broad enough to cover every website that we think of as social media is more difficult than you'd think. The definition of social media according to our textbook is any site or app that can "provide a personalized, online networked hub of information, dialogue, and relationship management" (Freberg 7). Basically: if you access it with WIFI and you use it to connect with other people, its social media. In some ways that's a little too broad though. I don't think any of us would consider Zoom to be social media, and it fits that definition perfectly. Social media has another distinctive characteristic that sets it apart and that is its nature as both an artform and a science. Art--or rather, content creation--is part of what makes social media so special. Specifically, the way content is created and shared. Unlike literally any other form of media, social media allows anyone with access to it to be both viewer and creator of content. With a few clicks you can share your art, photography, videography, and writing with anyone else accessing the same site. There is also a scientific aspect to how social media functions. Understanding (and manipulating) how behaviors, actions, and communities work online is a complex combination of social science, psychology, and understanding the algorithms that run specific sites. 

I'll be honest, my current knowledge of social media is extremely limited due to the fact that I kind of don't use it much. The site I frequent most is probably YouTube (currently binge-watching Critical Role) and I have an Instagram that I barely post on. That's pretty much it. I've never thought seriously about my online image or how targeted ads find me... until now.

It's very interesting.
It's a little creepy. 
And I can't wait to learn more about it.
 

Location: United States

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