My Final Thoughts on Social Media

Winter term at the UofA is wrapping up, as is ALES 204. I did not know what to expect going into this course, but I am leaving it with a better insight on the different forms of communication/social media. 


Firstly, I have definitely become more exposed to blogs/blogging. By starting my own for ALES 204, I have been intrigued by the concept of blogging in a more professional and informative manner, and have done some searching for blogs that relate to my discipline (interior design). I came across a few well-known and inspiring home decor blogs that give tips, ideas, etc. for people interested in the field. I think reading these blogs will come in handy for me in the rest of my schooling and for my future career, as they include current trends and give new ideas that I likely would never have thought of. I think more people should explore blogging because they never know what they could stumble upon that is relevant to their life!


Now I would like to discuss Twitter. I must admit, I was skeptical about it at first. It seemed rather pointless since it is so similar to Facebook. That's just it, though. It's similar to Facebook, but it is quicker, more concise, and I think things can be shared more easily. I will continue using Twitter even after ALES 204 is finished because I am able to connect to people, companies, celebrities, etc. in a different way than through Facebook. However, I will always be a user of Facebook because it has been a part of my social media usage for so long. It connects me to most of my friends and some of my physically distant family, which is important to me. After learning about professional Facebook pages in ALES 204, I also plan on using the social media tool in the future to promote myself as an interior designer. Since Facebook is continually growing, I think it will one day be a key component in job searches and being a successful professional, which is a major goal of mine!

Reference: Retrieved 12/04/12 from http://www.socialmedia.biz/

In conclusion, ALES 204 has reinforced to me the idea that social media has become so important in today's society in so many ways. There is always something new being created or developed to make connecting, networking, communicating, informing and sharing with others an easier, more enjoyable experience. I think social media will continue to grow and will always be a helpful tool for people in personal and professional ways (I know it will for me)!


Here is an interesting website with articles about all sorts of social media topics: http://socialmediatoday.com/

Lastly, click here to see one of my classmate's ALES 204 blog/e-portfolio! For her chosen topic post she wrote about Human Ecology, which is also my program.


Thank you for reading!


-Samantha

Here are links to 5 comments I have made on fellow students' blog posts from throughout the term:
1) http://ales204humanecologystudent.blogspot.ca/2012/01/introductory-post.html#comment-form

2) http://paipowers.blogspot.ca/2012/03/wikipedia-writing.html#comment-form
3) http://paipowers.blogspot.ca/2012/01/professional-facebook-page.html#comment-form

4)http://lmcsporran.blogspot.ca/2012/01/introduction-to-my-blog.html#comment-form

5) http://rkmillerales204.blogspot.ca/2012/01/intoductory-post-january-20th.html#comment-form