What are your goals for this course? Be specific!
My goals for this course is to understand how my media consumption has impacted the way I view, define, and understand social change. I am passionate about certain social issues such as advocating against human trafficking and standing for racial equality. And so I seek to understand the connections between how I perceive these issues based on the media I consume. I want to see how publishing and the way media and mediums are published play a role in influencing beliefs. I also hope to gain practical skills and strategies in creating and publishing media for social change as I do hope to pursue a career in that field.
What skills and strengths are you bringing into this course from your previous education and/or background?
Having taken several Publishing and Communications courses in the past as well as having completed 3 co-op terms, I hope to bring my knowledge, experience, and curiosity into this course. Classes like PUB 355 and Pub 131 have taught me about the world of digital marketing and the basics of design that I can apply when it comes to creating and publishing media. Classes like CMNS 221, CMSN 253 and more have taught me about the evolution of media and several theories and concepts that touch on the industry's connection and impact on the world. My work experience in co-op has enabled me hands-on experience of creating digital content, working with PR, and having the understanding and literacy of both a corporate and non-profit industry. I mainly worked in media and communications so I also learned strategic ways and approaches to create content that can communicate messages to certain audiences.
What barriers or challenges do you anticipate in this course, based on the syllabus as well as your own sense of what your semester is going to look like?
A challenge that I may have this semester is balancing the workload from 4 courses. Since this is my second to last semester and I am nearing graduation, I feel a bit more pressure to do well in these last few courses in order to graduate with a good-standing GPA. And while I like the grading scheme of this course as it enables students the flexibility and ability to achieve a better grade, I can already imagine the pressure I will put on myself to have all 16 assignments done in order to get the A+ that many students want.
What can you do to address these barriers/challenges?
Something I've learned to do with past study and co-op semesters is prioritize. I will do my best to prioritize my workload based on deadlines and the type of assignments. I will schedule my days to ensure I have enough time to put 100% of my effort in completing each assignment. But most importantly, I will prioritize my health and well-being. This year, I vowed to make sure that I make time for myself. I will take advantage of this class' flexibility and hybridity to ensure that I maintain a healthy balance of caring for myself and getting the most learning that I can from this course.
What can I do to help you address these barriers/challenges?
Based on the syllabus and on the first class, I truly appreciate Hannah's kindness, adaptability, and flexibility! The way she has set up the course already establishes a good foundation for the class that have made us students feel safe and supported. The instructions and syllabus are very clear. And in the case that we do need more support, Hannah has made themselves accessible to us all. So, I am super excited for this class and hope for the best for this semester.
I'm really glad to see you prioritizing your own wellbeing above all else! Truly classes will come and go, but learning to take care of ourselves, and our communities, is always vital and should always be a top priority. I hope you feel empowered to take advantage of the class's flexibility to be gentle with yourself.