My Virtual Reality

BUZZZ...! BUZZZZZZ...!  

Wake up.        Pick up the phone.              Plug in. 

Now entering virtual reality. Surfing all the networks and programs on the daily.                                     

What sites and/or applications do you visit most often? 

    According to my phone's built in digital wellbeing program, the app I frequented the most this week is Facebook with around 6.5 hours. I use this app more than any other probably because I've had it the longest and know the most real people on it. 

    The next site I use a lot is YouTube, with around 2 hours and 45 minutes spent. I would say these results definitely vary week to week depending on my workload. When I have free time I love to deep dive into some good YouTube channels. Creating videos and establishing myself on this platform is definitely a goal.

    Other apps I use frequently but aren't listed in this pic are Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, and Pinterest. The time I spend on those is definitely less than FB and YT, but will be increasing more as implement more marketing efforts for my personal brand and dance troupe!

Do you have positive or negative reactions when using certain types of digital media?

    Depending on my mental state and if there's something stressful I'm procrastinating (which is all the time), I'll get caught in what I like to call the "infinite scroll." I endlessly scan my Facebook timeline in a dissociative state, stopping to absorb tidbits of people's posts and article headlines. Sometimes I find myself bothered but can't exactly figure out why, until I scroll back up and figure out what triggered or intrigued me. I stew on it, pick it apart, read the comments, and then move to the next notification on my phone.

    Instagram can be fun and inspirational, but quickly turn into a source of stress and anxiety for me. To me, it's a competition of keeping up with the Joneses on a massive scale that I will never win. A shallow numbers game. My personal bio includes the words "success is define by happiness, not #'s" as reminder to myself. I'm a very sensitive human, and my ego can only take so much damage from consuming highly curated content all the time. Drawing comparisons of myself to others is inescapable while using Instagram, so I honestly find myself avoiding the app. Despite these misgivings, I still use it for the sake of my performance art and business. It is definitely a useful platform to showcase  my portfolio and network with others. 

    Social media apps that leave me with a positive reaction are Tumblr, Youtube, Snapchat, and Pinterest. I see them as places are creative and inspiring, instead of extremely competitive for validation and popularity.

Do you find that your needs are satisfied using one type of digital media over another?

    I use different social sites and digital media to satisfy a multitude of needs. There isn't a one-stop shop I can go to for everything. Facebook is how I stay connected with people from my past. Instagram is used as a portfolio and network for my performance art. Snapchat is strictly for sending silly pics and vids to my closest friends. Youtube is my main source for watching video content, and so on.

Do you receive emails from companies? If so, what types of email catch your attention? What do you look for?

    The main companies that send me emails are hobby lobby, michaels, valvoline, european wax center, and other places that provide services. When I'm looking to use one of those services I'll skim through my emails to see if they have sent me a coupon. Otherwise, I tend to ignore, delete, and unsubscribe from shops that are constantly emailing me promotional stuff.

What do you notice about the use of digital media in marketing today?

    Digital media is the main format marketers use today as it's easier than ever to reach specific audiences in a personal way. A casual mention of a product to a friend will invariably result in a sponsored post on our social medias of that exact item later that evening. It's like they read our freakin minds sometimes. But really, they don't have to. We freely give them our information by accepting cookies and  signing terms and conditions without actually reading them.

Actually looking at my digital wellbeing report for this assignment was really informative, and I highly suggest everyone does the same. My daily average screen time of 2.5 hours really makes me think about if that time is being well spent. How does your daily media consumption compare? What apps are you spending the most time on and why? Leave a comment and let's chat! :)

Love,

Flavory Avery