Welcome to my 24-hour media diary for Friday January 17, 2025. With a combination of my part time job at Starbucks, my online assignments, and my chronically online addictions, I come into contact with numerous forms of media in just one day.
5:30 am – Instagram and TikTok
As much as it pains me to admit, I almost always start my day with a cup of coffee and a good scroll through social media. With the looming national ban on TikTok, I decided that I need to get my fill of the app while I still have it (little did I know it would make its return after only 12 hours). Before I start getting ready for the day I switch off between Instagram, seeing what I’ve missed in my long distance friendships, and TikTok where it’s just too easy to doom scroll.
6:00 am – Netflix and Spotify
While I do my morning activities like brushing my teeth, doing my makeup, and quickly finding my work clothes, I watch the classic Sex and the City via Netflix. Having a familiar show with entertaining characters like Carrie Bradshaw helps the dread of going to work (dramatic much?) just a tad easier to manage. Of course, on my drive to work as I watch the sunrise, I put on Spotify and listen to some Fleetwood Mac. The album “Future Games” is my recent favorite.
6:30 – 2pm – TikTok, Texts, and C.S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew
While at work, I’m not actively using media as much. However, my work breaks are the exception. I really try to intentionally remove myself from my phone and I’ve been successful through reading. Ever since I heard about director Grega Gerwig planning on making multiple film adaptations of the iconic series, I’ve been breezing through The Chronicles of Narnia. Right now, I am reading The Magician’s Nephew. Unsurprisingly, I still use my phone here and there, checking messages, texting my brother, and of course the momentary scrolling of TikTok.
2:30 pm – Netflix and Spotify
To decompress from the work day I make myself a rice bowl for lunch and go back to watching Sex and the City on Netflix.
4:00 pm – Spotify and Runkeeper
With the new year starting I’ve been a lot more intentional with working out. I went for a 3 mile jog around my neighborhood. To keep track of my pace and mileage, I use an app called Runkeeper that lets me log how I feel and gives me the statistics on my runs. Music is a necessity to get me pumped and motivated so of course Spotify plays a vital role.
4:45 pm – Spotify
After my run I blast an assortment of Fleetwood Mac, Clairo, and Sade while I take a quick shower.
5:00 pm – Canvas, Emails, and Yellowdig
The first week of Spring Semester has really just been getting back into the groove. I checked my emails to see the announcements from ASU and my different professors. I logged onto Canvas to watch a few lectures and complete the Syllabus quizzes. I then participated in my various Yellowdig discussions, introducing myself to my classmates and participating in some conversations about my first modules.
7:30 pm – Instagram
After a couple hours of studying a meal is much needed. I kept seeing this one viral pasta recipe all over my Instagram explore page so I decided it was time to make it! After watching the recipe on Reels a few times and gathering the ingredients, I got to cooking. For dinner I had a delicious Parmesan Ditalini pasta dish and I highly recommend it!
8:00 – 10:00 pm – MAX and TikTok
While eating my home cooked meal my brother and I decided to watch the Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away on the streaming platform MAX. We have been watching all the different Ghibli movies that are so nostalgic of our childhood. I ended off my night with some more TikTok scrolling.
Concluding Thoughts:
After going through my media usage in a journal log format it’s pretty clear that I am utilizing one form of media or another at all times. It’s a bit concerning to me how much I “doom scroll”. In the moment I know there are better ways to utilize my time, but it is such an easy trap to fall into. Going into this week with the idea that an app like TikTok would be banned I had a variety of thoughts. I felt sad and nostalgic but I also felt more motivated to start living life less chronically online. It’s interesting to see how just after 12 hours of not having the app I have somewhat forgotten those plans. Looking at the different media I consume it also seems that there is not a distinguishable credible source. Social media apps like Instagram and TikTok are certainly at the bottom of that list with an abundance of false information and questionable content, but I’m not sure that I can identify a running app or my music taste as “credible”. Media that I consume from my classes on Canvas would probably be the most trustworthy and credible. Much of the content I am taught about is required to be scholastic documents and sources. Most of the bias that I am consuming through online classes is also used intentionally as a learning tool.