Third Semester Reflection

For our third semester of being a College Park Scholar and last semester of CPMS classes, we reflected on our growth and development throughout our time in the program.

My first three semesters at the University of Maryland, College Park has been interesting and quite unique. I have learned a lot and my strange experiences will certainly be formidable in my own personal development. In my academic classes, I have met and worked alongside many different people. I have come to realize that most people will generally be very different from me, and that requires good, clear communication and a little bit more leniency and trust. I have a tendency to get nervous with the unknown, so learning to understand that my peers are also (usually) students that care about doing a good job on their assignments and being successful was important.

Of course, participating in the Scholars program has been a part of this social experience, as we often collaborate with each other, whether in assignments or group discussions. The discussion-based nature of each of the classes has been the most influential part of Scholars. Even when not actively engaging, I find it nice to be able to hear what my peers are thinking about the world around us, as this is not necessarily the kind of thing that comes up with your typical friends. Hearing like or un-likeminded opinions gives me a perspective on what my generation (within the small Media Scholars community) ponders about.

Going to the dining hall with friends is always a highlight of the day. Even mundane events like enjoying large quantities of smoothies together is a pleasant memory.

Finally coming on campus means I can procrastinate in-person.

Media Scholars has also helped me view media more critically and to think more thoroughly about how information is being presented to me. Usually people tend to take information for granted, but the different topics we discussed and studied throughout these semesters have been pretty eye opening. Is the source reliable? Is the information being cast in a certain light to support a specific side of an argument? Who was involved in creating this source? It is very easy to sit back and take everything in without another thought, but Media Scholars has shown me that so much work can go into how things are represented.

Media has a significant role in our lives and in society, as we gain and convey much of our information through such means. Thanks to modern technology, we are heavily reliant on media to learn the latest world, local, or even social news. But as I discussed, so much can change the way we perceive said information. There is no doubt that media has an important role, but it also has a bit of a detrimental one at times. One’s source of news or “facts” may heavily polarize or mislead them, and social media can change how someone sees their peers. This makes a complicated relationship; one has to watch out for what, how, and why things are communicated to them.

Media has lots of applications in any career field. Anything and everything will be reported on or shared. Going into business, I think an important lesson from Media Scholars is that the way things are communicated is very important. Working together, giving a presentation, etc. all has aspects that echo what we have learned about media.

The infamous brick hole in front of the Denton Community: I think this represents how you have to deal with people relentlessly trying to go against the grain.