By Yuki (Tian Yiming) from 2402

Dear teachers and fellow students,

Good morning!

Social media has woven itself into the fabric of our daily lives. We use it to connect with friends, follow world events, and unwind. But it's a double-edged sword—it can be a powerful aid for learning, yet also a major distraction, pulling us away from our goals. Today, I'd like to share my personal experience with this very dilemma.

Firstly, social media has proven far more useful for learning than I ever imagined. This was especially true during my summer research workshop on environmental economics. My paper was titled A Study on the Characteristics, Development Challenges, and Financial Mechanism Design of Blue Carbon in the United States. Initially, I was completely stuck—my textbooks offered little reference material, and I had no idea how to outline the development challenges or design a sound financial framework. Just when I felt lost, my tutor mentioned that the professor overseeing this topic was open to communicating with students via WeChat. Nervous but hopeful, I sent him a message explaining my confusion and asking for guidance on research direction and structure. To my surprise, he replied patiently the next day. He analyzed the unique characteristics of U.S. blue carbon ecosystems, listed key challenges like policy gaps and high measurement costs, and even shared some of his unpublished preliminary research on blue carbon financing mechanisms. Through these WeChat exchanges, I gained specialized knowledge not found in public articles. With his guidance, I clarified my ideas and completed the paper. Social media wasn't just a communication channel; it became a bridge to professional academic resources.