Studying abroad has taught me so much about Italian culture, my peers, and myself. As someone who has never travelled outside of North America before I am so in awe of the beauty that Italy has to offer. During our first week, my teachers Lydia and Cinzia have encouraged all the students to consider and think about the relationship we want to have with social media while all of us are here. They have encouraged us to be mindful in three ways such as, thinking like a traveler and not a tourist, considering how much you want to share online, and being present. All these factors considered, I have been able to reflect and modify my social media use quite a bit since arriving to Italy.
When it comes to thinking like a traveler, I have been able to distinguish myself quite a bit from the people who are here on vacation versus me being here for an educational and immersive experience. The pictures I take and choose to post reflect supporting local businesses and giving back to the community. My pictures and posts also reflect my education experiences (i.e., the people of Ariccia that I am meeting, tours of historical locations, information about architecture and cuisine, etc.). Since the lecture regarding social media presence online and how to distinguish yourself from tourists who are looking to broadcast their experience online, I have found myself able to discern what I want to post, and what I want to keep to myself. I have also made more intentional choices and have been able to find a deeper appreciation for my surroundings and all that Italy has to offer.
Prior to beginning my study abroad experience, I created a separate Instagram that was meant to document my time in Ariccia and to stay in touch with family. I knew I wanted it to become a blog style account, so I created it with the intention of posting as much as possible. Since being here I have truly evaluated the reasons, I post and remain active on the account. While it is a great way to stay connected with family and friends, and give them a sneak peek into my life, I have decided to pick and choose the things I want to share online versus keep for myself. Rather than have the account to parade around my experiences, I have decided to just simply document my highlights and keep it as an online journal of sorts. Once I got here, rather than posting on social media, I created a newsletter email chain with all my close friends and family sharing links to photos and describing in detail all that I am learning and experiencing while abroad. At the end of the day, it is my close friends and family I want to share my experiences with, rather than strangers on the internet. My desire to share for documentation rather than engagement has altered my use of social media and has allowed me to form a better relationship with it.
Before my study abroad adventure began, I must admit that one of the smaller aspects that I was so excited about was all the photos I would take at iconic monuments, showing off to my friends, and boosting my Instagram feed. With having such a busy schedule, I have not had as much time to scroll on social media and catch up on what all of my friends are doing. This has allowed me to be fully able to soak in as much as I can and not be tethered to my device or feel a need to “show off”. I began to reflect on why I felt this way and I began to consider the role social media played in my life. I noticed things like when my food would get dropped in front of me, I would whip out my phone immediately. Another example would be choosing outfits because I knew I would be taking pictures in them, or just simply pulling my phone out at a lookout rather than taking in the view! When I noticed the habit of reaching for my phone immediately, I decided to make the choice of looking with my eyes first and then taking a photo to commemorate the memory second. In doing this, I have been present and awake as I explore and discover new places. I have truly felt that my memories are much more vivid and clear. As I gaze upon my photos, I am taken back to the simple things that are engrained in my memory simply from taking in things in with my eyes first: the sensation of the weather in the moment, the sounds, the smells, and countless other details.
-Emma Cate Sullivan
Taking in the view both mentally and electronically!