Natalie Digital Media Log

What does your online behavior say about you?:

My online behavior seems to reveal that I am easily distractable, and spend too much time looking at screens, whether for work or in my free time. Honestly, I wish I was better able to sit down and read a book, but I don't have the attention span for that. I rarely even have the attention span to sit down and watch a movie. Maybe this has something to do with having too much energy built up from sitting down on my computer all day.

Do you let your real personality show, or are you pretending to be someone else online? :

I don't think too much about cultivating a personality online, but I like to post fun activities that I do. Maybe this gives people the impression that I do those things often, but the majority of my time is spent behind a computer at my job. I wish it wasn't like this, and it's definitely not forever. Anyway, I don't think I am pretending to be someone else. I remember when I did used to try to cultivate a persona more on Facebook, when I was a teenager. Now I observe more than I post on Facebook, or I just try to post useful things for my contacts, and not make everything all about me.

Are you honest and affirming to your online friends, or are you a deceitful troll?

I'm definitely not a troll. I don't see a reason to be like that. Sometimes my friends and I have debates/arguments over politics on Facebook, but I remain respectful and try not to say anything I wouldn't in real life. I hate feeling uncomfortable with people, so I wouldn't want to have to see them in real life and feel awkward because of something I wrote.

Would you hire someone like you, why or why not?

Yes, I would. Despite the times I log that I texted or browsed Facebook on the job, I feel like I am still pretty productive each day, except for some off days. My coworkers are usually very satisfied with my work and think I work quickly. This must be because everyone else is spending even more time texting/Facebooking than me. (?) I am still hardworking, though, and I only usually get distracted because I feel burnt out from work.

Do you see any areas that you might like to work on changing?

I would like to find a way to be more active during the day and not stare at screens all day.

Is your online life getting in the way of or enhancing your offline life?

Yes, I would say it is, due to the nature of my work. This could be changed if I find a lifestyle that gets me moving and outdoors more.

Do you now see some ethical issues in your online life that you were unaware of before taking this course?

I've realized some friends use language they would not use in real life, and that has changed my opinion of them slightly. It makes me think realize that some people don't think before they type, like you would have to do before you speak.