Facts, Not Fear
By Cesar A. Hernandez
I must say that these last couple of weeks have been very humbling. Prior to the events which have taken place. I was ecstatic for having completed the winter quarter and was looking forward to embarking on my final quarter of my undergraduate career. Before the mandated shelter in place, I was looking forward to all the opportunities and events spring at Cal Poly was to offer. I also had a list of the things I was hoping to accomplish and do before graduation. However, as President Armstrong continued to give us updates on the plan of action, I soon accepted that this was no longer going to be the case. In a matter of days my plans to walk alongside my friends in June faded away. As a first generation student, I also began to think about my parents and how they weren’t going to see me walk in June.
Having allowed a few days to pass, I came to terms with this reality. I understood that before all, health and safety should always be a priority. I also accepted that not having a traditional graduation ceremony does not diminish what I have worked so hard to do. What did discourage me was that I was unable to say good-bye to many of my friends for they had already gone home. Knowing that we were to have online classes for the rest of the quarter made me uncertain on if I was ever going to see some of them in person again. Due to this fact, I have really depended on social media to maintain relationships.
More than ever before, I find myself depending on technology to keep connected and informed on the whereabouts of my peers and the events taking place around the world. Technology, in particular social media, provides convenience and quick access but also comes other challenges. More than ever I find myself having to make sure that whatever I am reading on social media is accurate and the truth. It's unfortunate that news has become extremely sensationalized and can often result in confusion and conflict. I have often found myself having to clarify and explain to my parents that what they are reading is either incorrect or misleading. More than ever before I found broadcasts and websites using the mantra of, “Facts not Fear.” This current situation in which we find ourselves often makes me feel frustrated. Many social media outlets have already been on trial for not filtering information that is either not accurate or cause social disorder and conflict. Social Media has the ability to transmit information in record time. This is what makes it such a powerful tool and one that we must question.
Therefore, I believe that this class has become much more important now than ever. We must discover what role these outlets should play.