I recently finished the social media strategist certification through Orange Coast College. In this program, I took several classes related to social media strategy, and also marketing, and public relations.
I don’t see myself becoming a full-time social media marketer anytime soon, but I am excited to take what I have learned in this program and apply it to my future endeavors.
You know the news is terrible, but you can’t stop scrolling.
A friend posts about their life, and suddenly yours pales in comparison.
Information is available at any time, anywhere. And now we are too.
We’ve all been there.
A massive shift to online work and learning environments in 2020 has only made us more aware of the negative impacts technology can have on our health.
How can we balance the benefits of using technology with the costs to our well-being?
When I started studying digital anthropology, I had no idea it would lead me down a path to burnout. The potential for learning with technology excited me, and I took to all of the social media and online courses I could get. As I learned more about working with and developing digital systems to do my research and learn many valuable things, I noticed some adverse effects. My sleep suffered along with my attention, and relationships became strained as digital communications became passive and filtered.
I found myself wondering if it would be possible to continue my career using technology while maintaining my health. After taking time for personal reflection, trial and error with boundaries, and a few digital detoxes, I learned a solution lies in mindfulness and a digital wellness lifestyle. In my personal and professional life, this manifests as regular learning about how digital systems work and then setting boundaries for myself and communicating those boundaries to others. Looking back, I wish there had been someone advocating for these practices as I was learning to be a researcher.
On that note, I’ve got some news to share with you: I am officially a certified Digital Wellness Educator! I took part in a 10-week program with the Digital Wellness Institute, where I learned concepts and strategies to help people overwhelmed with technology. I am one of those technology overwhelmed people myself, but now I am a technology overwhelmed human with some certified skills to make things better.
Building a better relationship with technology doesn’t happen overnight, and it can’t happen with one person alone. My goal now is to create online content mindfully and purposefully.
I have officially completed my master’s degree in applied anthropology!
Since this was an applied program, I chose a non-thesis option to complete a multi-part exam that included developing specialized research bibliographies, reviewing articles, and developing research proposals.
Now let’s see if I can find some interesting ways to apply everything I’ve learned.
My friend Shahab Zargari directs and produces amazing films, and this time I jumped on as an associate producer. Here is the trailer and a playlist of behind-the-scenes and special features.
Visit the My Name is Art Page on Thinkspeak.org to learn more about upcoming screenings and other ways to watch.
Pictures from the Spring 2009 Dance concert with Golden West College. Performed at the Robert B. Moore Theatre at Orange Coast College.
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