In high school I ran a creative lifestyle blog. It started as a Blogger blog, and later moved to WordPress when I decided I wanted a ‘real website’ with a dot com. I spent hours writing simple how-to articles, showcasing my artworks, and listing my favourite books, songs, and tips for studying and wellbeing.
Living regionally, it became a way to connect with like-minded creative teens across the globe, and we formed a cute little community. I would read and comment on other blogs, trying to share my optimism, creativity and encouragement. I was so excited by the possibility of creating something to be shared in a space that felt supportive and my own.
Reflecting on it now, I can see that many of the threads of what I still love to create and share were already woven through my past words. That little blog gave me the opportunity to experiment with photography and design, and taught me skills I still use all the time including how share ideas clearly and document creative work.
At the end of high school the blog faded away. My creative energy shifted into my Design and Visual Arts degree. I now had an in-person community of creatives to challenge me, and real life spaces to share my work.
Of course, I did keep Instagram. It was easier to post a photo than to write a story, and it erased some of the vulnerability that sharing paragraphs seemed to require. But as we all know, algorithms and ads have since turned the platform into an entirely different beast.
Over the past little while I’ve found myself missing the slower, more thoughtful way of sharing that blogging once offered, a space to tell a longer story. As I prepare to move overseas and travel around Europe, I’ve been thinking about how I want to share that experience and stay connected in a way that feels meaningful, sustainable and thoughtful.
So, welcome back to the new era of blogger Britt. This will be a place for postcards, photographs and field notes from the road, moments of curiosity, creativity and wonder gathered along the way.