Hey everyone!

This is my introduction for the Interactive Media Applications class I am a part of, but it can also be an interesting read for any viewers of my blog.

My name is Cleopatra Collier, most people just call me Cleo. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my mother and two siblings (Marc and Tigerlily). I am extremely close to my family. My mother is like a best friend, but more so since she loves me unconditionally. My brother is close to my age and also attends MTSU; he is an Apparel Design major. My sister is ten years younger than me, but we have a lot of common interests. My father lives somewhere else and mainly focuses on his church. I love hanging out with my family – whether we are going on a trip or just chilling at home, we always manage to have a good time.

My favorite pastime is to scroll through social media; I love getting the latest updates in real time and keeping up with family & friends. Twitter is my absolute favorite. Another thing I like to do is watch movies and Netflix. My taste in movies/shows contrast drastically – I love horror movies and shows like Stranger Things, The Haunting of Hill House, etc. But then I also love lighthearted musicals, like Glee and Bollywood movies.

At school, I am studying Interactive Media and Content Strategy for my major. As mentioned before, I have always been a big fan of social media and how it can give everyone a voice. I am a very shy person with social anxiety, so social media has been a great outlet for me to express myself. I want to use the platform to help others (companies and people) share their voice too.

I am also minoring in International Relations; that minor has stemmed from my love of traveling and learning about new cultures. I have been to four countries so far, and hope to visit many more in my lifetime. The four countries I have been to are Mexico, Canada, the Bahamas and India. India was my longest trip, about 18 days long, and so I am very in love with the Indian culture. The top places on my list to travel to next are Dubai, London and Israel.

I am so thankful for all of the experience I am gaining through the amazing Interactive Media program. I have earned a certification, attended a convention in Nashville, wrote for the Media Arts website, done projects for businesses and found a nonprofit called Yours Humanly that I volunteer at. I am very excited to learn even more this semester! Like how to use a 360 camera for this course, and how to code in my Information Graphics course. After graduation, I am hoping to become the likes of a Content Writer or a Social Media Specialist/Coordinator.

College has been an intense challenge for me, like it probably has been for most other people as well. I have changed my major many times and have transferred schools a few times too. I have hit rock bottom, where I felt like I was wasting my time in school and really had no purpose. Yet, I have also achieved some of my biggest accomplishments in college – which made me feel like I was on top of the world.

I am thankful to be at a point in my college career where I have found a major that I am passionate about. I am also happy to finally be at a point where I can see a light at the end of the tunnel – as I should be graduating sometime this year. I absolutely could not have made it this far without the love from my family and the encouragement from my best friend, Haley. Though ultimately it has been a professor here, and this school in general, that gave me the help and motivation I have needed to get to this point.

So, as anxious as I may get when I think about the challenges that will lie ahead post graduation, I am comforted in knowing that I have so many great people in my life who will be there for me.