Who am I? (Post 1)

Who do I think I am? I am modern media. They are modern media. You are modern media. We are all modern media.

From the moment I wake up to the moment I shut my eyes at night, I am both a media consumer and media maker. On a typical day I use multiple platforms to obtain information and news. I watch national television shows while making my breakfast. I listen to the radio while sitting in traffic on the Tappan Zee Bridge. I read the newspaper during my train ride into Manhattan. I hear about events through word of mouth via my classmates, friends, family, and co-workers. If that isn't enough of an information overload, my cell phone also provides instant internet access to social media websites including (but certainly not limited to) Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Media is everywhere I look.

While I may be a media consumer, I also contribute to media creation. Whether I partake in news commentary, post a link on one of my social networking sites, tag content, upload a video, write an opinion, blog, or tweet about news (in 140 characters or less), I contribute to the relentless (and occasionally ruthless) media cycle. I'm guilty just as much as the next person.

While too much of something is never a good thing, it is essential to the success of my future career path. I plan on pursuing a career in Public Relations and will eventually open my own public relations firm. Public Relations a.k.a. "PR" concerns itself with maintaining public images of individuals, companies, and their products. The ability to not only stay updated but also create media is crucial to success in this competitive field. If I do not stay up to date, my competitors will have an advantage and I will be branded a media dinosaur and left to extinction.

It is remarkable how much easier it is to be a media consumer and media creator today in comparison to merely five years ago. As time progresses, I'm sure it will become even easier. A career in public relations will certainly be keeping me on my toes.