Final Post!

Sadly as my school term draws to a close (with SCARY FINALS approaching), it's time to say goodbye for now. It has been seriously fun writing blog posts for you all and I have learned SO MUCH from the experience - I hope you have too! Some final wise old words from an older girl:

via google images

1. As many have pointed out before me, the media are really not that bad kids! There are stereotyping and bad role models, but the media are not monsters. The media world is diverse (especially with the Internet) and a lot of what you see depends on what you seek out! Which leads to my next point;

2. Try to seek out different things in the media! Go beyond the popular *teen* shows, check out news sites, watch some informative and fun documentaries, and learn about different countries, governments, and people. Don't let the media take advantage of you - take advantage of the media! I really hope you realize how much power you all have in what you see and what you learn from the media - you are in control, not anyone else!

3. Keep an open mind on what you see, whether it's in the media or in real life. You'll see a lot of things around you and on the Internet and TV: "traditional" values, "alternative" lifestyles, etc., etc. One day you will be able to find yourself, hopefully apart from any labels. Just keep an open mind. It'll protect you and help carry you far.

All the best wishes as you navigate through the rest of your teen years! Hope to see you all on some leading stages (politics, business, media or otherwise) some day soon!!

~Joy

Farewell

Well, as my term comes to a close (with a vengeance I might add--a cold spell AND finals? That's just not fair), it's time to wrap this up. I've had a really interesting and enlightening time writing for you guys. Thank you so much for reading!

via tumblr.com

Here's just a few of the things I've learned:

• Y'all (I can say that because I'm from the South) have SO MUCH thrown at you all the time, and most of it can be pretty harmful. At the same time, I've noticed that people are starting to talk about how weird and inaccurate a lot of it can be (and not just this tiny blog group).

• Some of the media isn't that bad! Despite what I  said above, I'm also very impressed with the progress of shows and music and movies. Of course, there will still be shows that pretend that girls are only for cooking and looking pretty, but there's a lot of good out there. Hopefully, we've helped to point some of that out for you! 

• It's really important to go into a show with open ears/eyes and a critical mind. Some of the stuff I've seen can be pretty insidious, and it's important to become an aware audience. It's easy to get into the habit of having shows (and other forms of media too!) wash over you. (Netflix bingeing, anyone?) But I've become more attentive by writing this, as I hope you guys* have become by reading it. 

Farewell! And I really mean that--I hope all of you fare your very best in this swampy, messy media flood. 

~Emily

*For me, "guys," "dudes," and even "girl" are all gender-neutral terms.

Oscar Ladies

Before I say good bye, I present to you: your presenters!

Here are just some of the exciting ladies giving out awards at this year's Oscars (via thedailybeast):

Amy Adams

Kristen Bell (don't forget to catch her in the Veronica Mars movie coming out this March!)

Anne Hathaway

Anna Kendrick

Jennifer Lawrence

~Emily

Is This Goodbye?

So this is it, ya'll...my last blog post! Blogging has been a valuable and challenging experience. Here are some things I've learned/want to share:

• Be concise. Make every word count. A good blog post will get a strong message across in one or two paragraphs, so there's little room to ramble on and get too off topic. 

• There are levels to this.  It's important to be an informed viewer…at least sometimes. We shouldn't always take the characters on TV and in movies at face value. It's good to spend some time thinking about what these characters stand for, what they represent, and how they are portrayed.  It's easy to simply watch and enjoy a show without giving thought to the above questions, but paying attention to the underlying themes, especially with regards to women, is important.  These shows, these characters, can have a big impact on how we view ourselves and the world around us.

• This is going to sound so cliche, but seriously, just do you.  The media may not always show it, but we women are a dynamic group. Embrace the awesome that is you.  And take the women featured on this blog as an example...you can lead.

Via Google Images

Until next time

Via Google images

I have to admit, I'm a little sad to say this will be my last post... I will say that my time as a "blogger" has definitely been a learning experience. Although, some weeks were harder than others, I genuinely enjoyed the process!

Via Google images

One of the main things I learned from blogging is that the media isn't always so bad after all. I think that it has been a common concern among parents (especially lately) that the media is a negative influence especially on young girls. I do agree that there are definitely some bad things out there on the Internet, however I never struggled to find a celebrity, story or public figure in the media that had an underlying sense of empowerment. I encourage you all to remember to look for the hidden inspiration and empowerment in television shows, movies and celebrities and pay attention to the media that matters!

Via Google Images

I hope you not only got your fix of celebrities on our blogs but I hope that you also are inspired to follow in their footsteps, be leaders, be activists, stand up for what you believe in! 

-Jennifer

Here's Looking At You Kids

So this will be my final post for Tune In and I wanted to reflect a little bit on the experience before I go. This project presented a creative challenge for me as writer; I wanted to have a purpose or message with each post but I also wanted you guys to enjoy reading each post. Balancing my desire to connect with young readers and my goal of promoting female empowerment was the most difficult and most enjoyable part of writing for Tune In.

What I Got Out of This...

1. I learned that even though we see many problems with women in media right now, we are also seeing encouraging trends with women leaders in modern television and movies.
2. I'm starting to see that people really like familiar stories... damsels in distress, white knights saving the day, tragic romances, and thrilling battles between good and evil. It's important to be aware of the roles that women play in these stories... we don't always want to be the damsels in distress. 
3. It is important that we challenge the media to keep up with the progress we are making in the real world. If we want quality in our shows and movies, we have to call out the crappy shows and movies when we see them.

via google images

Hopefully this blog exposed you to a new perspective on women in the media, maybe it helped you form an opinion on how the media should represent women as leaders. More than that though, I hope that you enjoyed the Tune In experience as much as I did.

Thanks for reading!

---Nicole

Ice Ninjas Out

This blog has been a fantastic experience, but unfortunately the ice ninjas must go back to training. So before we go, lets review. Well looking at some past posts we definitely see a diversity of subjects; however, some central themes becomes clear.

1. Don't change who you are to please others (the true heroes are the ones that stay true to themselves)
Actress Emma Watson via google images

2. Anyone can thrive and anyone can lead no matter your gender, race, or class.

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

3. Maybe the best media isn't the type that makes you happy, but the media that makes you happy and capable (and that's the media you deserve)

all via google images

Desmond ;)