Christa Mallory conducted a 3-year study to understand how kids use media outside of school. She found that kids engage in "Messing Around" and "Hanging Out" to socialize with peers, and "Geeking Out" to pursue specific interests. Through posting, linking, forwarding and remixing media online, kids become fluent in digital communication. Mallory concluded that kids learn important social and technical skills through their media use, and can connect with others worldwide to develop interests or find support.