Unit 2 Reflection

Unit 2 Reflection

For this piece, I chose an audience of high school and college students, primarily because they are among the most active users of social media and are directly impacted by its effects on communication and relationships. I wanted to reach an audience that could see their own experiences reflected in the topic. Since social media is so integrated into the daily lives of younger people, it made sense to focus on how it shapes friendships, self-image, and the way people connect.

High school and college students are at the center of today’s social media culture. They interact with digital platforms daily—often using them to build friendships, maintain relationships, and explore their identities. Knowing this, I focused on examples and references that would directly connect with their experiences. For instance, I mentioned well-known platforms like Instagram and TikTok and described familiar behaviors like posting workout pictures or sharing daily highlights. I also selected sources that would resonate with this age group. The short film A Social Life presents a relatable story of someone curating their life for social media, while The Social Network explores the creation of one of the platforms many of them use. These choices helped show both the personal consequences of social media use and the broader cultural forces behind it.

In researching this piece, I challenged myself by using a mix of narrative and data-driven sources. I used a major film (The Social Network), a short independent film (A Social Life), and an academic article by Linda C. Ashar. Each brought something different: one showed the business and ethical side of social media’s rise, one captured its emotional effects, and the article added real data and research findings. Balancing these different kinds of sources was tricky, but it made the argument more complete and allowed me to show different sides of the issue.

The public conversation around social media and relationships is becoming more nuanced. There’s more awareness of the emotional and mental health impacts of constant digital connection, especially after the pandemic. The conversation is shifting away from labeling social media as purely good or bad and focusing more on how it’s used. Ashar reflects this when she writes, “Its impact depends on how it’s used. With healthy boundaries and intentional engagement, it can be a powerful tool for connection rather than harm.” That perspective, seeing social media as a tool that reflects user behavior, feels like the core of the current discussion.

The quality of research available on this topic is mixed. Academic sources like Ashar’s offer useful data but can be hard to access without university credentials. On the other hand, films and short media pieces are accessible and emotionally engaging but don’t always include hard evidence. There’s a need for sources that bridge that gap, something like long-form journalism that’s both informative and readable. Further research could also dive deeper into how different groups use social media in unique ways, or how newer platforms like BeReal are changing digital habits.

I didn’t conduct formal primary research, but informal conversations and observations helped guide my approach. I talked with friends about how they use social media and reflected on my own habits. Even just paying attention to the way people post and interact online gave me insight into which issues were most relevant to the audience.

For the Pitch Homework, I didn’t get an official response from my intended audience, but I shared the idea with a few peers. Their feedback helped shape the final draft. They pointed out that discussions around social media often feel one-sided, so I worked to present both the pros and cons of online connection. Instead of just warning readers, I wanted to create a balanced view of what social media is doing to relationships today.

One of the biggest takeaways from this project was learning how to blend different kinds of sources to support a single argument. I could apply this in a sociology or media studies class by combining films, articles, and personal examples to examine another cultural issue. Outside of school, this skill would help in fields like nonprofit work, marketing, or journalism, any space where storytelling and research need to come together. Understanding how to reach an audience with the right mix of evidence and real-life relevance is something I’ll definitely carry forward.