In an empty college classroom, bright and beige in appearance, sat Alex McDonald in a black graphic tee matched with black denim jeans ripped at the knees. The florescent lights overhead brought out the shine in her short black dyed curls, and the silver coffee can in her hand as took a sip. It clinked as she sat it back down on the table, signaling the end of her sip. Alex sported a smile on her face with reminisce in her eyes. In a light voice she said “Tumblr…me and Tumblr go way back.”
Alex McDonald, 20, is a student attending Suffolk County Community College studying journalism. She commutes from Port Jefferson Station, where she also attended grade school. An unpleasant experience is an understatement as McDonald was on the receiving end of bullying and because of this, she turned to social media as a place to be herself. “I felt like I could go on Tumblr, and I could go on Twitter and that was kinda my escape that like, I can create like this whole online persona and like they don’t know that it’s me. So I can just like post [and] just like consume media and like, be somebody that I like couldn’t be like in school.”
With now being able to express herself, social media served as a gateway to McDonald’s creativity. Tumblr was the first platform that she took use of by uploading photos and applying little edits to enhance each photograph. On Instagram is where she honed in on her skill of video editing, first using iMovie and eventually using more professional programs. Here, McDonald also started freelancing and getting involved in voice acting. She even scored a gig for a upcoming documentary to voice Amelia Earhart. “I’ve been on like every social media,” said McDonald. “Back in the day, I was like on everything.”
Being an only child, forming friendships has been important to McDonald. Social media has been a way for her to connect with people who share the same interests as her and form friendships. Instagram is what sealed-the-deal for her friendship with Charlotte A. Fritz. “Actually, the catalyst to our friendship was when she posted something pertaining to an animated show on her Instagram story,” said Fritz. “I was so excited to see a fellow fan that I instantly swiped up and responded.” Another friend that she made through shared interest and social media is Joely Forstner. “Alex and I met about a year ago on Twitter through our shared interest in video games.” Forstner continued “Alex likes to get involved in the fandom for the media she is interested in and likes to analyze it with other people who share the same interests, which is part of what made us friends initially.” Fritz adds “Alex and I are both lovers of media, and it’s one of the things that binds our friendship.”
Social media has taken another role in McDonald’s life. She uses it to get all the information and details about movies and shows, because she never fully watches or finishes them. Why? She doesn’t want them to end. “With shows, I feel like I have…if I’m so into them, then I don’t like want them to end, so I’m just like, well I’m not going to finish it.” While technically she doesn’t see movies and shows to completion, she does know how they end. “Now I just see everything on twitter and then I’m like “oh yeah, I watched that show,”’ she said with a smirk. Movies and shows don’t really keep McDonald’s attention either. “She is the kind of person who tends to either really like a piece of media, or not be interested in it at all.” said Forstner. Movies and series that have kept her attention are Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Titanic, and Law & Order: SVU, most of which she has watched along with someone else. That’s the only way she can complete them. “If it’s on my own accord, I just can’t,” said McDonald.
McDonald also writes for the fandoms that she is passionate about on social media and is well respected for her opinions. “On social media, I get to see her react within the fandom space and I see how her opinion is respected and she is often a figurehead of fandom discussions,” said Fritz. “She is someone who dives wholeheartedly into the things that pique her interest.” Writing creatively and about topics she cares about is what drove McDonald to choose a major in journalism. By becoming a journalist, Alex feels that she will be able to share stories of people who are otherwise unheard.
“I’m more interested in human interest [and] connecting with people” she said. “I care more about other people [whose] story hasn’t been told because no one has ask[ed] them before.”