According to a January 2020 survey published by the health company Cigna, roughly 3 in 5 Americans are lonely. Since 2018, when Cigna first began conducting annual surveys of loneliness, there has been a nearly 13% rise in loneliness. Nonetheless, we have never been so connected with the advent of social media. In their Friendship Report, Snapchat revealed that 79% of survey respondents affirm the helpfulness of digital communication in maintaining relationships. However, it is hard to reconcile the increase in American loneliness to the rise of virtual friendships. Social media is a powerful tool, but its impact is paradoxical — as virtual, relational connectivity increases, interpersonal satisfaction decreases. Something…
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The Role of Media: The International Student’s Journey of Adapting in the U.S.
Writer: Aspen Haw Photographer: Jalin Cerrillo Given its global spotlight, the United States claims a unique position of influence. Movies and news coverage can stir up positive or negative excitement, especially for international students with their sights set on an American education. But is this country’s self-portrayal accurate to their experience? While media is informative, it can create discrepancies between perceived reality and actual life in the U.S. For international students, these gaps lead to culture shock, resulting in a rocky start to their life in America. FILM: DISTORTION OF SOCIETY Sophomore business administration major Dena Rahel was born and raised in Indonesia. Her family had high praise for the…
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Behind the Screens: Media Literacy in Modern Society
Written by Eliza Lee I am in my room jamming out to some tunes and immediately, my phone, watch and computer screens alike, receive a flurry of notifications, all competing for my attention. In the span of a minute I am invaded with a surge of information; Emails, news alerts, social media notifications, texts and Canvas messages litter my home screen. As I glance at each one of these bits of communication, my ears pick up more incoming sounds and more notifications pop on my screen, continuously taking my attention off of my previous task. How do I navigate this endless flurry of distractions? Let’s find out. Our attention is…
