by
kathyLI
In today’s technologically advanced era, blogs, or web logs, are one of the fast-spreading phenomena that people use to express themselves. They’re places where users can share opinions and media like photos and videos, and discuss various topics in the form of an online journal. More and more students are now turning to blogs as an outlet for their thoughts. Junior Daniel Kao keeps a blog, though his is a
radical departure from the stereotypical blog. “Most people I know use Tumblr,” he says, which is an online blogging website where one can post anything from written to video entries, and can “follow” one another to see when others post new things. Kao is not an avid fan of Tumblr though; instead he uses his own web domain called Diplateevo. He started it freshman year as a personal blog, but gradually it became a place to share his Christian faith.
Religion is an important part of Kao’s life, and Diplateevo refl ects that. Kao regularly goes out on the streets to pray for and minister to other people. “On my blog I post testimonies of people who have been healed,” Kao says. “I also post some inspirational quotes I fi nd. It’s something I can and am glad to share.” Kao believes his blog is a vital part of his journey toward being a better Christian.
Senior Angela Wong devotes her time to a special interest blog called ZOMG!art. She uses it to share her artwork, from hand-drawn sketches to full-color digital drawings made with a tablet pen. She has posted her older pieces and her current work, a collection to which she is still adding. Unlike Kao, Wong enjoys using Tumblr, for its easy-to-navigate format and excellent support system. “Tumblr is a great online community,” Wong
says. “I’ve made many new artist friends from as far away as the Philippines, and we all give each other feedback on our work. Other artists’ opinions have given me helpful insight on how to improve my art.” When Wong has time, she takes artwork requests from other people. She has also made tutorial videos on request to show how she produces some of her pieces on Paint Tool SAI, a useful program for creating images with a tablet pen.
Wong sometimes gets inspiration for her work from other Tumblrs, which often link to the users’ pages on DeviantArt, a popular site made for sharing art. Blogging is a creative outlet for Wong. “It makes me think outside the box, and keeps me drawing every day,” she says. Other bloggers have clearly taken an interest in Wong’s passion, as she now has more than 1,000 followers.
Students use personal blogs to post updates on daily life, express their interests and write or rant about anything on their minds. Senior Kirstie Yu has a personal blog on Tumblr, which she fi nds is a great place to share her thoughts. “People are open and accepting on Tumblr,” she says. “They’ll follow you because they like what you post.” Yu often re-blogs images and videos from her favorite fan blogs, or blogs ded-
icated to a specifi c celebrity or product of popular culture. Among the fan blogs she follows are ones devoted to the hit Fox TV show Glee, actress Marion Cotillard and pop sensation Lady Gaga. “With fan blogs, followers keep one another updated on the latest celebrity news,” Yu says. “Sometimes on fan blogs you can fi nd previews of music from Glee before it actually airs.” On her personal blog, Yu also writes about her
stance on controversial issues like gay rights. She is comfortable expressing herself because bloggers form online communities where there is little bashing on opinions, part of the reason why Yu prefers Tumblr to other social networks. “On my blog I can really say what I think and my followers are supportive,” says Yu. “It’s nicer than Facebook, which is largely about maintaining a good public image.”