When I first arrived at Penn State I was definitely a "newbie." I only had one friend from my hometown coming to PSU with me, much like how Mae only had one friend (Annie) when she first got the job at The Circle. I can relate to Mae because she enters a big, powerful, and intimidating atmosphere at the Circle which makes her nervous. This is similar to when I first came to Penn State. I was excited for my future but also nervous.The main source for my nerve derived from the fact Penn State is a prestigious institution that has high expectations of its students right when they step foot on campus both in and out of class. I was not sure if I could live up to these expectations or if I would fit in. Like me, Mae was worried she would not be successful at her new job or be able to live up the expectations of her new co-workers and company. However, unlike Mae I have much more independence because my every move is not being watched. If it were like that for me I feel it would make the transition at Penn State a lot harder and make me a lot more nervous.
In The Circle social media and technology are very influential aspects of life, as well the idea that innovation is a very important instigator in advancing society. In our present day social media and technology are taking over peoples lives. There are a great deal of social media websites that have a wide range of users from 5 year old children in New York to elderly people in China. Many people, including myself, spend hours of their time: tweeting, updating their FaceBook status, texting, Snap Chatting, or using any of the other copious amounts of social media websites and apps. In The Circle they force the workers who work at The Circle to use social media and even promote it by having a ranking system for those who post more. Onto the idea of innovation and technology. In society today, huge amounts of money and resources are allocated to trying to improve technology to make the world a better place. However none of this would be possible without the innovation of the people trying to improve technology. Although Penn State does not have the money or resources as a national government it has just as much innovation within its student body. The leaders of the school and alumni catalyze this innovation by giving us the best facilities for students to further their education and perform research. All the improvements made around campus better life and create even more opportunities. The idea of advancing society and bettering life is also prominent in The Circle because innovation is the main purpose of the company. I remember one of the Deans who spoke at Freshman Convocation emphasizing innovation. It is evident innovation is a important idea in both life at Penn State and in The Circle.
The past two weeks I've been bombarded by homework, reading assignments, essays, and the need to sleep. Like every college student, college work is controlling my life and taking me away from other important things such as my family. Similar to Mae's new job, college has separated me from my family. I still talk to them every day, but it is not the same as seeing them everyday. Also they are not as involved in my life like they were before becoming a Penn Stater. However, unlike Mae I still give attention to my family and am not completely isolated from them in my new life. When Mae's dad gets sick, instead of going to help her father and family, she ignores them completely. Mae becomes obsessed with her job and social media; focusing all her attention on her new life. Mae breaking away from her family illustrates the importance of social media in The Circle, and the difference in moral value in our society and society in the book.
