Working with Professor Lia Purpura and Professor Sally Shivnan, my project is an exploration of the age of personal technology in which we all find ourselves and the human and artistic consequences of having addictions to our smart devices. Since the start of 2023, I’ve been conducting an ongoing experiment (which I hope to continue even after the conclusion of this project), where I actively and mindfully spend time away from my smart devices and navigate the new spaces I discover as a writer, as a student, and simply as someone who is still growing up. I’ve been documenting this experience in several different ways in order to produce a dynamic collection of poetry, prose, non-fiction essays and photos.
For inspiration, I’ve been exploring writers like journalist, essayist, and novelist Joan Didion, who have previously sought to write into their specific moment. I’ve also been interested in writers like poet, essayist, and playwright Claudia Rankine, who experiment with nontraditional structures and presentations for their writing. Throughout this project, I’ve gained inspiration from the staff and students of UMBC who similarly wrestle with the same questions as myself about living in this age of technology.