entering a new blogging era

Prior to entering the digital world, I was always writing in my journal and before that, my makeshift diary (that I unknowingly spelled as diarrhea on the cover😅). When I discovered Xanga through my sisters, it became the perfect place for me to further share my thoughts while also getting myself more acquainted with everything the internet had to offer. There was just something enjoyable about putting my thoughts out there, even if I was sometimes the only one who'd see it. I even went so far as to getting my own websites to further blog about my life (starting in 8th grade!). I guess you can say I was (am) one serial blogger lol.

While I continuously hopped around through all the popular social media apps, none could really compare to good ole blogging. I missed reading other people's blog posts, getting their little (or large) life updates, leaving and replying back to comments, and admiring people's cool layouts. No one worried about algorithms, likes, curated grids, or popularity. That era was one of the best times in my life. I learned how to code better, up my graphic designing skills, and got to meet other bloggers from Malaysia to the UK. We carved out our own unique spaces on the internet, running our websites all on our own. In comparison to Instagram, it feels so controlled. It's constantly directing users to do this, to do that, throwing ads in your face, and so on. Having your own website/blog really was freedom, a place where you could be yourself and express yourself however you wanted.

With the rise of AI and people getting social media fatigue, I felt the need to get back to my blogging roots, to a space that I enjoyed and always find myself reminiscing about. I hope to connect and build a community again through this blog. I was happy to discover that there are still many bloggers out there, some who have been at it since the 90s! There's no better time than now to get back into the blogging world, at least for me. I'm ready to blog again!