I would say that I’ve had a very positive experience blogging about my topic of the transition into college and the Instagram class page. When we were first assigned a blogging topic, I wanted to do something that was unique to me and my family. I first blogged about Christmas cookies and how my family makes over 15 different kinds of cookies. I’ve been making christmas cookies with my mom every year since I was a little kid and I knew that I could talk about my experience with it in my blog.

However, once I realized that we would have to write a paper about a certain discourse community, I knew that I wanted to write about something that is fresh on my mind and I’ve experienced before. So that’s when I came up with the idea of writing a blog and paper about the transition into college and the discourse community of the Instagram class page. Transitioning into college is already a big step in life itself but moving from one coast to another is a whole different experience. It was very easy for me to write about this topic because I was able to find many sources about people dealing with the anxiety of moving into college and how they used social media to find roommates or events from their school. I think that if I had chosen another discourse community, I would have had a more difficult time writing my paper.

The anxiety of moving to the other side of the country knowing that none of my friends will be going to college on the west coast was something that I had to accept. However, I knew that I needed to find someone who was from the east coast so that way we could both support each other throughout the process. By using the Instagram page I was able to find my roommate, Daniel, who lived not too far from me. When we direct messaged each other, we wanted to get to know each other more so we met up to grab a bite to eat and we knew that we were going to meld well. Fast forward to present day, Daniel and I are still roommates and are about to move into our new apartment. 

One of the main reasons that I chose this topic was not only my experience with it but also that so many students deal with the anxiety of transitioning into college. I wanted to write this paper with the goal of trying to express the importance of reaching out to current students and how social media makes it easy for everyone. Not many students take advantage of the resources that are available to them and when it comes time to move in, they’re very unfamiliar with the campus and the feeling of homesickness comes into play. I wanted to highlight in my paper that finding a class page or looking at your school’s instagram page for school events, clubs, etc. will make it easier to understand the college and how rising students can get involved on campus. Before I moved into my dorm, I immediately looked for clubs that I would be interested in so that when I got there, I would meet with the president/leader of the club and start getting involved on the first day. Everyone’s college experience will be different and sometimes the college may not be the best fit. But with enough research and use of social media, it’ll make life a lot easier for rising students and help with the anxiety of a new environment. 

First, I would like to say that I’m glad that I took this course because of the six week program. I think that if I were to take this course during the regular ten week quarters, I think that it would’ve been maybe a little too slow. 

I believe that throughout this course, I have learned more about writing than reading. This is most likely because most of our assignments were based on blogging and a research paper. One of the things that I’ve learned about writing this quarter is that not every English class needs to have formal assignments. The way that I learned this was through all of the blogging assignments. At first, I didn’t really know what blogging was and at first glance I thought it was another formal way of writing. But after the first few assignments, I started to realize that it is much more free writing. I actually started to have fun when writing because I was able to make my argument my own way rather than just listening to what the teacher wants. One of the UWP Learning Outcomes is Metacognition and I think that played a big role in my writing. Ever since I was in high school at Archmere, I have liked to have an outline or blueprint that helps guide me in the right direction when writing a major assignment. As I’m writing a draft, I sometimes change my outline because I think that one focus could be too vague or difficult to write about.  Once I’m done writing my initial draft, I like to look back at my original outline and reflect on what worked and what didn’t work. I think that this is important for any writer because as you write more and more, you start to realize what works and what doesn’t and you start developing a formula that makes it easier for you to write about anything. 

Another thing that I’ve learned about writing feedback from professors is more important than people realize. Peer review and feedback are one of the most important things to do during the writing process. It allows for the writer to have someone check for quality and originality in a paper. In one of the UWP learning outcomes, processes talk about how students will revise their papers based on feedback from peers and instructors. In our UWP class, we used this a lot during our research process as a way of improving the quality of our paper and I think that this benefited me a lot because hearing from both my peers and instructor, I was able to look at any holes in my paper and correct them for the next assignment. As far as what I’ve learned about reading, I was able to learn more about what to look for when researching for sources for my discourse community. Instead of just scanning an article and looking for one sentence to prove my point, I take more time to read about the author and if they’re credible enough. For example, in the annotated bibliography assignment, I took more time to find sources that had a lot of information rather than just a snippet. This would make it easier for me to use these sources for my paper. There are a lot more things that I’ve learned throughout this course but these are the most important ones that I wanted to highlight. 

From what I’ve learned from myself as a writer and reader is that self-reflection and making blueprints are critical for me to create a successful paper. When I first started the research paper assignment, I wanted to pick a topic that I knew would have so much information to find. If I pick a topic that is too specific then sometimes I’ll stretch my argument too far to the point where it becomes uncredible. Outside of English and the classroom, having self-reflection and a blueprint is crucial because it allows me to stay organized and also reflect on things that work or didn’t work. If someone doesn’t reflect on their mistakes then they won’t learn from them and it will lead them in the wrong direction. I would say that my greatest strength after this class is organization. I always pride myself on having a plan because I don’t always like spontaneous plans especially when it comes to academics. If I have a blueprint for how I’m gonna write a paper or study for an exam, I always like to have a plan so that I can be organized when I start the assignment. One thing that I would like to work on as a reader and writer is always double checking. Sometimes when I finish a draft, or at least I think I’m finished, my brain is so drained that I just close my computer. I wake up the next morning realizing that I either didn’t save the file or if I missed a part of the assignment and now I gotta spend more time on the assignment when I should’ve finished it the other night. I should always double check reading articles because sometimes I skim articles or studies that are pages long and I sometimes don’t double check the page number and then I forget which page my evidence was. I will definitely work on this more as time goes on. Some key points that I’ll take away from this class is how to become a better peer reviewer and also continue building big projects, like the research paper, in steps. I think that these were the most important points that I took away from this class because as I continue my academic career, I would like to give others better advice for their work and also not to overdo a certain assignment and build it in baby steps. Not only will this help me in the classroom but also in life in general. Giving other people quality advice will make them build trust in you and they’ll see you as someone who is willing to help out others and not just brushing it off. 

So I’ve talked about social media in my previous blogs but only very vaguely. Let’s take a step back from me talking about Instagram and talk about how social media started and became one of the most used communication tools in present day society. Although there are many different dates on when social media actually started, the first true social media site was created in 1997 called SixDegrees. This social media page allowed users to create a profile and make lists of connections with other people within the network. The site was able to garner over one million users before it was eventually bought out. The next few years saw some traction with the invention of MySpace and Friendster but in 2003 one of the most famous social media apps was created, Facebook. Originally named Facemash by the creator Mark Zuckerberg, this social media platform would eventually become the most used application in the world and still hold the title to this day.

When Mark Zuckerberg purchased the domain “Facebook.com”, a tsunami of new social media sites began to emerge. Linkedin, Flickr, and WordPress soon followed after Facebook, each with their own target audience. However, the creation of these sites were overshadowed by the creation of YouTube. YouTube is a video sharing platform that allows users to post videos of whatever they want. It has gained so much popularity that as of today, it is the most popular website in the world besides google. But during the time that these social media sites were created, only people who had computers were able to access these resources. It was until 2007 that american entrepreneur Steve Jobs created the first iPhone which sparked a new era in technology.

 Steve Jobs introduces iPhone in 2007

With the invention of the iPhone, some other big name social media applications started to come around. By 2012, Snapchat and Instagram were created and took the world by storm. These two social media apps would not only become a primary communication tool for Gen Z but for all popular news stations, celebrities, athletes, etc. 

All of these applications would gain more and more followers as the years progressed but a new application has emerged and it is gaining popularity like no other. TikTok, a short-form video service, has become the fastest growing social media app in 2021 and is rapidly gaining more and more users which may eventually lead to TikTok becoming the most popular social media application in the world. Nowadays, you can find almost anyone in the world who owns a phone to have some form of social media. The rise of social media has made it become one of the most powerful communication tools and will continue to grow as the years go by. 

Social media is an effective tool that people can use to generate, exchange, and share information with others online or through applications. Instagram is one of the most widely used social media platforms and has been for more than ten years. Users can publish any photographs anyway they wish on Instagram, a photo and video social networking site. Because Instagram is such a big platform, a lot of individuals utilize it as their main method of communication with other people all around the world. The discourse community that I am researching is an Instagram class page account called “ucd2025“. This is a discourse community because all of the rising freshmen have a goal of making new friends via Instagram posts (“ucd2025”, 2021) before they even step foot into their dorm and the account is run by upperclassmen, who may have also been a part of this discourse community, who aim to help give students resources for their new home. While social media can be a dangerous place to share personal information, this Instagram class page is an excellent way of bringing college students together because it allows for students to reach out to others across the country or world, it helps with students who want resources to help better understand their college, and it builds on the value of community before stepping foot into college.

An Instagram page is a great idea for upcoming students because according to a study, over 90% of college students use some form of social media (Sponcil & Gitimu, 2013). Since over 90% of students are using social media, an Instagram class page is something that students will look for when trying to find resources for their new college. An Instagram account is also a great option for students to find roommates. Many students sign into their housing portal and most likely will choose a random roommate. However some students want to learn about their roommates’ habits and see if their interests are common. For example, one student said that as a result of joining an Instagram account “ I DM’ed them and … you could just tell it was a perfect match” (Lorenz, 2019). Not only did she use the Instagram account to post, she was able to find her future roommate and not worry about the anxiety about a randomly assigned roommate. Building off of anxiety before college, almost every student will experience some form of homesickness. It’s something that I’ve experienced myself over the course of my first semester at UC Davis. However, I was thankful to have found a roommate beforehand using an Instagram class page account and finding events through social media. In a study done by five professors, they concluded that over 78% of students used social media to alleviate their homesickness whether that be watching TikToks, scrolling through Instagram, or even just making a phone call (Kelly et al., 2021). Using social media is a great way to alleviate homesickness because it allows students to stay up to date with school events and also make new friends. These are just some of the many examples that help with my argument of why social media should be a primary way of communication for upcoming college students. 

Social media is a powerful tool that allows people to create, exchange, and share information with others across an application or on the internet. It has grown rapidly over the past few years with new applications becoming bigger and bigger like TikTok. However Instagram has been one of the most popular social media platforms for over a decade. Instagram is a photo and video social networking service that allows users to post any photos however they would like. Because instagram is such a large platform, many people use this application as a primary way of communication with others around the world. The document that I will be selecting is an Instagram page called “ucd2025”. The main message that is communicated on this page is providing resources to rising freshmen who need a better understanding of their college and also posting students so that others can find people with similar interests. The people who wrote (in this case created) the account are upperclassmen who go to the same school as the rising freshmen. They created this account because they want to provide new students with resources and help them make connections with others which will help them become more familiar with campus when they arrive. The images that they mainly post on the account are provided by the students. In order to post, a student must direct message the account with their name, major, paragraph about themselves, and proof of acceptance (ucd2025, 2021). The reason they primarily post new students instead of resources is because they believe that it’s important to make connections with other students so that they can uphold their value of community. The account is aimed towards new students who are looking to make connections, stay up to date with school events, and access helpful resources. Not only do I know this because the posts are mainly about rising freshmen, I was also in the same position as them last year. I followed my class page and followed the prompt that was given in order to have a post on the account. The page is setup to not only show posts but also what is called “Story Highlights”. Instagram stories is a feature within the application that allows users to take photos or videos, add effects, and post them on their story. However, once it’s posted on the story, it will only show for 24 hours. So in order for others to see the post after 24 hours, the user can create a story highlight which will allow followers to see any previous story posts. Story posts can include polls that ask questions, Ask Me Anything segment which allows students to ask questions to the upperclassmen, and activities in which the account owners provide examples of what students can do on campus. The reason it’s setup this way is because if the account only posted pictures of other students, it wouldn’t really provide students with much other than the fact that they can make new friends. This isn’t to diminish the account itself but rather have the account not be one-dimensional. The language that they use is very short and concise. For example, the prompt for being posted is straightforward in asking for information. “DM us with a picture, proof of acceptance, and a paragraph to be featured”. I would describe the tone as exciting and welcoming because the users want to have as many students follow their page and create a sense of a welcoming community. The page primarily uses an ethos appeal and somewhat of a logos appeal. They use an ethos approach because it allows for the account owners to establish themselves as fair and community-minded. For example, when giving suggestions on what is close to dorms around Davis, they provide a video of where that location is in comparison to the dorms. They also use somewhat of a logos approach by providing students with links to resources whenever they have a question. Whether it be about immunization documents or scheduling classes, the owners will provide links to where they can find more information. However, when it comes to talking about dorms, some of it is based on opinion rather than credible evidence. When it comes to Pathos, they really don’t use this appeal as much since they prioritize ethos and logos rather than showing emotions. However, when they post about upcoming events, they do use happy and persuading emotions to convince students to go to certain school events. Overall, I think that this document says a lot of good things about this discourse community. It is a welcoming account that provides students with resources to allow them to flourish when they enter into the college scene and community. This account values community because it aims to create a environment where students want to not have any anxiety when moving into college. 

Friends are one of the most important things that we need in our lives. They give us a chance to offer much needed companionship whether that be advice, support, or as simple as just talking. However, we all have our own goals and future career paths when it comes to selecting a college. Most of the time we don’t go to the same college as all of our friends and we may be lucky to have two or three. BUT this offers us an opportunity to meet new people and make many different connections at a new place. 

One of the key things that every rising freshman should do when going into college is making connections with other students. Finding other students with similar interests, like sports or majors, can help with homesickness and ease your way into college. A discourse community that helps introduce students to others is an Instagram class page account. 

The people in this discourse community are incoming college freshmen with the account being run by multiple upperclassmen at the school. The account works by direct messaging the account owner your name, major, picture of yourself, and a paragraph that introduces yourself to anyone who follows the page. Once this is completed, the account owner will then post the picture of you along with your name, major, and paragraph. 

I was involved in a Instagram class page as a way of introducing myself to other students. The goal of this Instagram class page is to help students make new connections with others and help with the feeling of being homesick. It was very helpful for me and other students because it allowed me to hit the ground running after I had moved into my dorm. Was able to immediately go out with new friends and check out the UC Davis campus and Downtown Davis. Some of the most important core values that this D.C. values is community and friendship. It values community because it brings together the rising class and allows them to work together. It also values friendship because through this Instagram page, everyone can interact with each other by commenting on the post or direct messaging a certain person that may have similar interests as you. As far as conflicts goes, I hadn’t really seen any conflicts/problems when I had followed my class page. However, I have heard of people making rude and obscene comments on other peoples posts. A way that this is prevented is either the owner deleting the comment or others reporting the comment as bullying or harassment. 

Some of the limitations that I may encounter on this D.C. may be finding sources. The instagram page is a great source to use in this paper but I wonder if there are any scholarly sources that talk about social media pages and how it helps with making connections. I understand that this is a more significant issue than other but with enough research I believe that I can find reliable sources that can help with my thesis and argument. 

Ah yes! The excitement of receiving a college acceptance is like none other. You share with your family and friends how excited you are to have the opportunity to go to college. For many people, this starts a new chapter in their life and it may even be life changing. All of this excitement builds up towards move in day and you can’t wait to have a change in scenery. However this change in scenery may cause a bit of a cultural shock. All of those friends that you made in high school are now in different schools and some of your favorite restaurants are no longer near you. This unfamiliarity of a new environment causes many students to experience homesickness. 

The reason I’m interested in this topic is because, like many others, I experienced homesickness when I first moved into the dorms at UC Davis. Coming from the east coast, it was definitely one of the hardest transitions that I have ever experienced in my life. The difference in time zones, being over 1,000 miles away from one of my high school friends, and different town structure are some of the things that were difficult for me to get used to. I didn’t want to accept these new changes because I had been so used to living at home. I felt like I was just getting into a groove with school, social life, and family especially since I turned eighteen and became more mature. However, I’m not the only one who experienced homesickness and a lot of students will experience this. One student on a reddit thread explained that they were so used to having their family around and when they said goodbye, it was a whole new experience living by themselves. Another student explained that the hardest thing for them was seeing their other friends visiting home that was only an hour drive away compared to being over 5 hours away via flight. This is something that I experience as well. Taking 6 hour flights back and forth from home is already a challenge in itself.

Although homesickness is not fun and can be challenging, it doesn’t last forever. The number one thing to remember is that homesickness is completely normal! Over 70% of first year students have or will experience homesickness at some point. One thing that helped ease my way into a new area was by joining a discourse community via an Instagram page with all of the new students at UC Davis. This instagram page posted students from all around the world and allowed the students to introduce themselves to others. By actively engaging with other prospective students, it helped me make new friends before I even moved in! Another thing that helped with my homesickness experience was joining the rugby club and staying busy with new friends. Whether it be rugby practice or going out with some dorm friends, these simple things helped me take my mind off of being away from home and helped with coping with the new environment. Surrounding yourself with other people who might also be experiencing homesickness can help with adventuring a new location and checking out what could be the new ice cream spot. Even though homesickness can be tough at times, it’s not the end of the world. Keeping yourself busy, making new friends, and exploring new locations on campus are some things that you can do during the first months of college. 

One of the things that I would like to learn more about is how international students cope with homesickness. Although I traveled from the east coast which is already a far trip in itself, I can’t imagine how international students deal with traveling to a new country and living there for almost the whole year. For some students they have to learn a new language, understand the culture of a different country, and even eat new food. One student describes that food is a major factor in homesickness for international students. He says that in the beginning of college some students won’t even eat because they are so stressed out and they aren’t used to eating food from a different country. One way that I can explore this practice is by looking for first hand accounts from other students, domestically and internationally. I could ask some of my friends about what they experienced when they first moved in and how they were able to handle the stress and anxiety of being far away from home. 

Every Christmas since I was a little kid, my Mom would assign my sister and I to create an idea of what kind of cookies we could make for Christmas. Whether it be the heat miser or a simple Christmas tree, we would make over ten different kinds of cookies that related to the theme of Christmas. However, the most popular and liked cookie in my family is the Pizzelle. For hours at a time, I will sit at the counter constasntly opening and closing the Pizzelle maker until we reach around 200 cookies!! This tradition has always appealed to me because I have been doing it for almost my whole life. Coming from Delaware, it’s very cold during the winter time, averaging almost 27 degrees in the season, and we only experience a few snow storms a year. Since we’re stuck inside, my family uses this tradition as an opportunity to get closer and become more creative. We would always start at the beginning of December and present them to cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. Something about this tradition that I would still like to learn is how it originated and if it’s popular around the world. I’ve always heard about my friends doing some kind of Christmas bakery but is it a practiced tradition across the world?

In an article by Culturally Ours, they say that whether it be a simple sugar cookie or atypical cookies, it is something that everyone looks forward to in the holiday season. The article states that “Since it was cold outside and the ground was hard and frozen solid, farming was not an option. So cookies were made in large amounts and stored as a way to share the sprit of the season with all those who visited. ” Likewise, in a a video by Western Mass News, they describe Christmas cookies as something that is very personal. Every family has their own unique recipe and ideas that carries on from generation to generation.

One blog that I found intruiging is one done by Stephanie Thompson who is from the United States. What drew me to this blog was not only the tone and images but it is also created on WordPress which is what we’re using for our blogs as well. Thompson uses a variety of pictures such as a gingerbread man, cookies cutters, sprinkles, etc. Something that also intrguied me was the mentioning of mumming. I’d never heard of mumming before reading this blog so it was definitely very interesting to learn about how it connected to Christmas cookies. This tradition will be easy to format into a blog because it is seen all over the world and almost every person that practices it has some kind of unique idea attached to it. I’m looking forward to learning more about this tradition!

 

Michael Acierno

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