Coming into college I knew I wanted to do something with writing. Writing has always been the thing that grounds me and helps me see the world from different perspectives. When I can't find the words to say what I'm thinking, I write----then the words just seem to come naturally. I've kept dozens of journals filled with notes, poems, short stories, fragmented thoughts, my favorite words, and doodles. This was a way to collect my copious thoughts.
But writing, like most everything in the world, changes.
Our world has expanded, maybe even separated, into something new. This "other" world is the digital world; a network existing everywhere and no where all at once. It's deeply intertwined with the real world, and it consumes us.
Technology has changed not only the ways we communicate, but the ways we learn, work, and experience. It's an increasingly prevalent part of our lives and while it aids us in so many ways, there are also a lot of issues tied to this medium.
If there's one thing I've learned from the Professional Writing and Interactive Media Studies courses I've taken, it's the importance of awareness. There's a lot we need to understand about the mediums we use and the people we interact with in different contexts. My class on writing for global audiences emphasizes awareness of cultural differences; people have different customs and view things like trust, leadership, decision-making, and feedback in various ways. While no one can be expected to completely conform to another person's way of life, we have to understand that these differences exist and learn to accept them. My class on ethics and digital media emphasizes awareness of morality in the digital world for individuals and corporations. Our words and our actions online are a reflection of ourselves and they leave a lasting impact.
The ways we write and communicate today are more creative and boundless than ever. I want to pursue Interactive Media Studies because this "other" world is a prominent one that I interact with every day. I am interested in how the digital world overlaps with and impacts the physical world and our communications within the two. Interactive Media Studies will increase my awareness of interactions in the digital world and also further my skills as a writer in another medium. This is a medium that is constantly changing and advancing and I want to be a part of those developments. I believe that this field will make me a more diverse, innovative, and aware writer and person.
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