Digital Literacies and Social Networking for Creatives was one of those, with the exception that it turned out to be one of the most fruitful study-units I have had in four years!

We had to:-

""Deliver a digitally-literate project which meets all four key criteria

1. uses more than one social media "platform;
2. targets an audience;
3. is accessible outside the creative arts world; and
4. demonstrates a strategic approach  "’

Trying to come up with an idea is quite challenging, but my point of departure was the fact that if I need to use social media it has to be "social’, but ironically in today’s age we’ve come to be defined as the opposite of ’social’.

I didn’t want to just sit down in front of my laptop, design some posts, and then let social media do the rest. We have become so accustomed to the fact that our devices can do anything that going out of our comfort zone has become unusual.   So in whatever I was up to do, I wanted to involve and interact with as much people as possible.

After days of brainstorming I came up with the idea of "Log Off’. But how could I create an offline community?

I believed that if people were to see something unusual around them they would look up from their phones and see what it is all about. My strategic plan was to use a blackboard (for which I also needed to rent an easel) as a source of interaction, with the aim of having passers-by actually write on the board.

My target audience was practically everyone who uses social media, from students at Junior College, Higher Secondary School and University to tourists roaming around the Upper Barrakka. I must say that tourists were really eager to write on this blackboard, it was somehow their way of expressing what they love about Malta on a tangible object rather than just posting it somewhere online.

I am also glad that Log Off served as a platform to raise more awareness on campus on disabilities. During the process of my project I was approached by two students who suggested to use Log Off as a way to raise awareness.  Here’s what happened..

In this day and age we really need to start looking around us more and at our phones less, because we have forgotten how to interact with each other. We rarely give each other full attention because we are always on our phones.   It is indeed a worrying fact that today we would rather communicate via text messages than face-to-face. We are also growing up with the idea that social media lets us present the self we want to be because we can edit, crop and retouch.

I don’t want to suggest that we should turn away from our smartphones or from social media, but on the contrary, I want my audience to understand the profound effects that social media has on us. If we can understand that we can approach social media differently, we might become more aware of its effects.

In conclusion, it was a fun learning experience from which I have learnt a lot more than I expected. I did not learn only about social media in general, but also about myself. I have also learnt how to film, edit and design posts thanks to this project!

The post The Story Behind Log Off appeared first on The Third Eye.

The Third Eye was invited as the media organisation within the University of Malta.  The Third Eye’s Liaison Officer,  Roberta Briffa,  and Financial Officer, Jessica Camilleri,  took the opportunity to ask the Prime Minister whether discussions are underway with regard to embryo freezing, since consultations regarding the IVF legislation have long been finalised.  Hon. Joseph Muscat was also asked whether the system of pre-implementation genetic screening is being considered.

As a reaction to the question, Dr Joseph Muscat assured that the subject of IVF needs to be readdressed as the issue was overtaken by recent events and emphasised that embryo freezing should be discussed. He also argued that he supports embryo freezing, saying that he always backed the use of technology to enable all couples who wished to have children to be able to do so. However, he strongly disagrees with genetic screening as this could be a gateway to abortion, adding that pre-implementation genetic screening is not on this administration’s agenda.

Other issues were also brought up during the event. These include namely the electoral system of Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU), youth participation in politics, as well as women in the workplace.

The post The Third Eye asksJM appeared first on The Third Eye.

It seems that we can never get tired of scrolling on our newsfeed …

Social media platforms, like Facebook, have become a convenient way of staying in touch with friends and sharing what is going on in your life.   However, they are also an easy way of getting distracted during a lecture or at work. It seems that we can never get tired of scrolling on our newsfeed because there is always something new, people to stalk and posts to comment on. Having said that, we find it so easy to comment on random posts but we’ll think twice to write something on a tangible board, like the one below.

We have become so captivated by social media that we have almost forgotten how to interact and communicate with each other in real life, because we’d rather speak in a group chat. Evidently, we all use social media on a daily basis, but one must realise that sometimes you just need to log off and interact with the real world, even just by simply looking around.

This is what Log Off is trying to imply. Log Off is a University based project with an aim of creating more awareness about the importance of socialising offline.

Log Off placed a blackboard in places like the Upper Barrakka, Junior College and on University campus so that people could interact with each other next to a blackboard. This also captured the attention of passers-by who, out of coursity, looked up the project on their phone to read what’s on the board.

For more information you can find us on Facebook by following this link: https://www.facebook.com/logoffmalta/?fref=ts  

The post Should you Log Off more often? appeared first on The Third Eye.

But remember that all the things you’ve been through shaped the person you are today. Be kind to yourself and forgive yourself for all the mistakes you made. Let those mistakes give meaning to your life and make sure that they won’t happen again in the coming year.

Admit the fact that at times you were selfish, stubborn, lazy and a little bit of a coward. Look back at those times, grow from them and promise yourself that you will be a better and more empathetic person because of them.

Stand at the doorstep of 2016 with an open heart. Look out for ways you can make someone else’s life brighter. Be the friend that jumps in to help and do not forget that even a small act of kindness can mean much more to someone than you can ever realise.

Be proud of your hard work and dedication that led to your accomplishments but be aware of all the help you got along the way and make sure that in 2016 you find a way to start giving that help and support those people back.

Think of all the times you didn’t listen to your instinct. Like when you knew that you should have accepted that job offer but you were too afraid of all the changes, or like when you screwed up and you knew you should have apologized to your best friend, or when you knew you should have studied harder to get a better grade, or when you knew you shouldn’t have drove back home drunk but you were too cool to admit that you’re drunk. Acknowledge the fact that your instinct is usually always right.

Remember all the things that you thought are going to make you happy, but they just didn’t. Remember how obsessed you were with your new smartphone or your new salary and how quickly you got over them. You just moved from one thing to the next but none of them really brought happiness to your life. In 2016, make sure you realise that the defintion of happiness doesn’t lie in what money can buy.

As you stand there waiting for Facebook to review your year, just let go of 2015 and welcome 2016 with hope, excitement and wonder. Just remember that this year only made you stronger and it’s ok to feel afraid and uncertain of what lies ahead of you, but it’s time to say hello to all the new opportunities, dreams and achievements that are waiting to manifest themselves to you.  

The post 2015 – Year in Review appeared first on The Third Eye.

The training course was a remarkable experience where participants had the opportunity to work together to produce a feature story on minorities and also had the chance to meet Timea Szabo, a humanitarian worker, journalist and a Hungarian politician. Szabo researched the Afghan conflict after the 9/11 attacks and spent two years in Afghanistan as a member of a UN team and as a representative of CARE International. She then returned to Hungary in 2003 where she became a coordinator of the international activities of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s Refugee Program.

Timea Szabo shared her views about the refugee crisis that sparked off last Summer when thousands of migrants made their way across the Mediterreanean to Europe.  Szabo believes that a "multicultural society can enrich the country’s culture, as we say – the more flowers the better ".

Hungary was in fact a major transit country for migrants, many of whom aimed to continue on to Austria and Germany. However, Hungary’s rightwing government saw migrants as a threat to the country and decided to close the borders between Serbia and Hungary and lately, even the borders between Croatia.

In the wake of the Paris attacks, the Hungarian Prime Minister emphasised that tougher border control should be adopted and also expressed his idea, that  "not every migrant is a terrorist but every terrorist is a migrant’. On this regard, Szabo says that “It’s a very dangerous rhetoric to use in public. Our party is trying to fight that, but it’s very difficult because media is mostly dominated by the government. Unfortunately, the state propaganda is working.”

Whilst everyone has a say on what should have been done or on what should be done, only few have the right to take decisions that directly affect us and Europe. However, we are in control of our actions. It is up to us, as humans, to realise that every human being deserves the right to live in a place and call it home regardless of where he comes from or the religion he practices. It is only up to us to integrate migrants into our society and realise that they are humans just like you and me, looking for safety, peace and stability.

All fruits of this course can be found at:
https://diversityvoices.wordpress.com/

The post The European Youth Press Training Course – "World Perspectives: Diversity Voices’ appeared first on The Third Eye.

Being a male does not guarantee that you will turn out to be a gentleman. It is rather a choice by which a man sets out on a journey to attract the "love of his life’. The primary rule that a gentleman should understand is that his behaviour and his method of communication is a valuable insight to his character. He may not be physically strong but he will surely demonstrate his strong character and integrity.

It is understood that the definition of a true gentleman is subjective, but here are some basic definitions of what comprises a gentleman.

1. A gentleman is always well-presented, takes care of his physical appearance, dresses appropriately and never turns up under-dressed. Regardless of the occasion or the company he is with, his body language is consistent. He has a strong personal presence. Conclusion: he shows his true self 24/7.

2. A gentleman knows what his partner wants. Protection and security top the list. Most desired signs are public displays of affection are hand holding he stays on the outside of the sidewalk, just in case. He offers a lift, to make sure that she’s safe. Last but not least: a goodnight kiss and a post-date text goodnight

3. He is a man of his word and follows through with his commitments, whatever the cost. His actions reflect who he has chosen to be and are not based upon the opinions of others. Conclusion: a woman enjoys a firm man.

4. A gentleman is always on time. Punctuality is one of the most important characteristics of a gentleman. There should never be a time when he makes the other wait unless there is a legitimate excuse, which in a woman’s dictionary these are very few. A respectful gentleman will never let his date wait for him and instead will make sure to show up five minutes in advance.

5. His recipe for approaching his crush is a mixture of respect and cherishing amusement. He will hold doors, take her coat, offer a seat to her before sitting down. A gentleman knows to treat a lady with kindness, tenderness and most of all to respect her wishes even he "does not feel like it’.

6. A Gentleman “ruins his lady’s lipstick, not her mascara.” The only tears she should cry are of joy. Having said that, how a gentleman treats and is treated by his mother (or sister) gives a vivid indication of how he treats his partner.

7. A gentleman keeps his swearing to a minimum. Swearing is highly unattractive and makes you sound uneducated. It might have been "cool’ one day but nobody really likes to be in a relationship with a dictionary of swear words.

8. A gentleman possesses a positive outlook on life. His humour and consistent encouragement attract others to him. Negativity bores everyone.

9. A true man knows how to respect different opinions instead of just selfishly demanding you to comply with his.

10.  A gentleman does not assume that it is up to the women to do all the work. A gentleman should be familiar with a wide range of life skills. Ability to cook, clean and do household repairs are highly valued and appreciated.

And one last thing:

11. Women love compliments, a gentleman provides them.

Photo: www.weheartit.com

The post ""The world is full of men. Be a real one’’ appeared first on The Third Eye.