Student Influencer Morgan Harwood shares the importance of goal-setting
One of the Seven Social Standards that The Social Institute believes in is: Finding Your Influencers. This means surrounding yourself with positive role models who support you and encourage you to play to your core. To help students find these positive and credible influences, we began our Student Influencer Program. Each week we select a different student to take over our Instagram and highlight how they act as a positive influence and inspiration in their communities.
This week, we are excited to introduce Morgan Harwood. Morgan is the Thought Leadership and Lesson Development Intern at The Social Institute. She transferred to James Madison University after completing her Associate of Science in Business Administration at Tidewater Community College while in high school! Morgan majors in Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical communication at JMU, and is expecting to graduate this December. Outside of classes, Morgan is a peer tutor at her university’s writing center, as well as the Managing Editor of a student-run journal at JMU. When she’s not in school, Morgan loves spending time with her friends, shopping, and hanging out with her 4-month-old puppy, Forest. She has traveled all over the world to some of the most beautiful places, including Hawaii, Italy, and Greece, and plans to pursue more traveling after she graduates.
Recently, we interviewed Morgan to learn more about her and how social media impacts her life. Here is what she had to say:
What do you value about yourself or others?
I value the ability to persevere most in myself and others. No one is perfect, and that’s okay! We all mess up, make mistakes, or have rough days. What matters is how we get back up and do our best regardless.
What are your personal goals?
Right now, my biggest goal is to graduate in December 2022 with a 3.5 GPA! I am also striving to read at least 10 pages a day of my the current romance novel I am reading. My last personal goal is to just do my best, whatever that looks like day to day.
What are the things you try to accomplish each day?
I try to take my puppy for a 15-30 minute walk every day so we can spend some quality time together outside! I also attempt, not fully accomplish, but attempt to stay on top of my dishes, laundry, and all other standard household chores.
What or who inspires you most?
My mom, Heather Williams, inspires me the most. As a chemistry teacher, she won the Teacher of the Year award at her school, and I could not be more proud of her. She always speaks her mind, is the strongest woman I know, and loves hard– always.
How has social media acted as a positive influence on your life?
Social media has had a positive impact on my life because I’ve had the chance to inspire and connect with so many different people over the years. Social media gives me an outlet, whether I’m spreading awareness for a topic I’m passionate about or just posting fun pics of me and my friends.
Of our Seven Social standards, which one would you most resonate with and why?
I resonate most with TSI’s Use Your Mic for Good standard. Whether verbally or through an Instagram post, we hold so much power with our words. We can educate, inspire, and support so many people when we speak up for the things that we believe in.
If you could go back and talk to your younger self, what advice would you give to her about navigating social media or social relationships?
If I could go back to my younger self, I’d tell her that it’s okay to unfollow people who make you feel bad or post negativity. I’d tell her that her Instagram feed will always be there, but that the present moment won’t be. I’d tell her to spend less time obsessing over likes and reshares, and more time doing the things that she loves outside of her phone.
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in understanding student experiences and creator of #WinAtSocial, a gamified, online learning platform that equips students, educators, and families to navigate social experiences — online and offline — in healthy ways. Our unique, student-respected approach incorporates topics like social media, technology use, and current events that have a significant impact on student well-being. Lessons teach life skills for the modern day to inspire high-character decisions that support the health, happiness, and future success of students. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities.