PBIA on Instagram

The genre I chose for the first project builder was Instagram: posts and captions. A lot of people, especially teenagers, have something called “social media” on their phones. Most of them have a social media app called Instagram. Instagram used to be a less popular and childlike version of Facebook, but it’s now more well-known than it’s ever been. This social app is a place where people from all around the world post pictures of exciting events, fun celebrations, and their typical daily lives. The whole point of it is to post whatever you want on your profile, and allow others to see. Along with the pictures, most people write captions along with it, often describing what the picture means. The most common posting, I believe, is being with your friends. Nobody wants to look alone, and everyone wants to look like they are having a good time, even if they are not. The purpose of this is to not only prove to others that you have a good life, but to try and reassure yourself that you are. It seems as if the generation we are in cares more about the amount of likes they get than the actual people they are with in the picture. On social media, it’s all about presentation and how you portray yourself. Some ordinary conventions of Instagram include catchy captions (either quotes or upbeat sayings), friends (already mentioned), cheery faces, artistic photos/backgrounds, and so on. One thing about Instagram is everyone’s style is different. Everyone has their own individual way of posting pictures. There was an “Instagram phase” when everyone had photos that had white space in-between, and now most people don’t have the white space. The audience is usually meant to be for peers, so people generally try to make their photos appealing as possible so they get more likes. As pathetic as that sounds, it’s true. For instance, someone walks passed you in the hallway and notices your blouse. They compliment you by saying, “cute shirt” or, “I like your blouse”. Nowadays, because social media plays such a big role in our lives, liking or commenting on a picture is no different than that. Yes, it’s a little less personal since you’re behind a screen rather than being face to face, but it makes us feel good about ourselves.

            So what makes Instagram, Instagram?

            Instagram is a place to express yourself. You can create your own profile however you want it, and your peers/friends have the option to follow you or not. Although it isn’t necessarily the best way to get to know someone, it gives you a little bit of insight on the person’s life and what is important to them. Like everything else, there are positives and negatives that go with this social media app. Similar to Facebook, there’s the common possibility that a stranger wants to follow you, and more often than not, people make the stupid mistake of allowing them to. On your posts, you have the option of putting your location, so anyone can look up where you are. This can cause major problems. An interesting fact: As of February 2015, 57% of Instagram users have a public account. This means anyone can look you up and see your profile and posts.

Elbow Article Annotations

Annotations for Elbow Article

Step 1: Two Kinds of Thinking

The annotations I wrote were a combination of confusion annotations and using my previous knowledge to connect outside sources to the article. For instance, in psychology I learned about the left and right brain and both of their functions. I applied that to the first order thinking and second order thinking because that's what they reminded me of. I also wrote little notes on the side recapping of what I had just read. I connected writing to first order thinking because writing is just jotting your thoughts down and revising as second order thinking. Second order thinking requires more work in a way that you have to think logically and critically. This relates to revising and editing what you write because you have to make sure what you are saying is clear and understandable for whoever is reading it.

If I had a pattern I would say i mark down things that i either don't understand, or ideas within the reading that i find most important.

James - Annotates things that he's interested in. He paraphrases things that he thinks are important, and he's always looking out for what's the main idea of the article

Macy - Underlines the things that are bolder, and highlights things that she thinks is interesting. She also circle things she doesn't understand. She also reads a paragraph and rewrites it in her own words.

I know that it's important to be organized while annotating, but also just write down whatever you’re thinking about what you’re reading.

Introducing Myself

Hello! My name is Corinne and I am a biology major. So far, I enjoy being at Penn State Abington as it is the small campus I intended on being at for my first few years of education. I am from Bucks County… not too far from here! I am very excited for this class because I took a Rhetoric and Composition English course in high school and loved it! My hobbies include staying active and catching up with my friends. All of my friends from school are going separate ways, but we still manage to stay in touch. On a relatable note, college is a big change from high school, and it’s hard saying goodbye to the people you spend the most time with. Although we all tend to get homesick from time to time, we need to also realize that this is a new, exciting beginning and the future holds amazing things!

In this English course, I hope to succeed and improve in my writing skills. Occasionally, writing can be frustrating to me; however, it can also be rewarding. I like the quote, “stop doubting yourself, work hard, and make it happen”, because it puts everything in perspective and that life is what you make it.