#but there's really something that's just so nice about not caring about trends or seperation or silly social rules

[brainrot-yumm]

being agender has helped me love my femininity so much. I love fashion to an insane degree, and it's so nice to just not have to worry about it. I'm not cis-passing and I'm not stealth, I'm a secret third thing (cosplaying various forms of women and men in my day-to-day fashion life with pure joy and without worry)

[scarfacemarston]

Abigail Roberts A-Z Alphabet Fluff Prompt

Rest of letters here. T: Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, and gifts?)

We see in the epilogue that Abigail definitely tries to make things special for John sometimes. She'll buy him a new shirt, she'll make his favorite food, she seems to decorate the place extra nice and genuinely just wants to spend time with him. For Jack, she wants each birthday to be as special as possible since she feels she can't give him much. She'll make cinnamon rolls or French toast in the morning. She always saves money to buy him a new book or takes him to the bookstore, bakes a cake, and gives him the few gifts she and John could buy or make him. She'll try to buy something affordable from the catalog, with John giving suggestions on what he THINKS Jack might like……..it doesn't always work, but he tries. In the modern au, she'll take him to an arcade with his friends. (YES, THEY EXIST STILL.) That, or the movies and some restaurant.

Needless to say, she puts a lot of time and effort into dates, anniversaries, and gifts. 

U: Ugly (What would be a bad habit of theirs?)She worries and paces so much I bet she could make a mark on a wooden floor. I'd also say maybe checking in on people too much. Some people like Jack and John think it's bossy and nosy, but she's trying to help for the most part. If it's Jack or John………or Uncle, she's trying to make sure they're behaving.. On a lesser scale, she either seems to have great posture or really bad posture, no in between, it seems. Finally, her squinting at the sun really damages her eyes, causing her pain.

V: Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

She knows she's beautiful, but she doesn't bother putting much effort into her looks. In Canon, she wears the same outfit for years. She also wears a simple bun and a braid at night. She could be curling her hair or wearing it up like the other ladies, but she doesn't. I thought she wore the lightest makeup, but I don't believe it at the end of the day, and she wouldn't waste the little money she had on it. Modern Au is just as beautiful but doesn't spend a lot of time on her looks, either. She wears her hair naturally. Mostly in a bun or braid, but she is more likely to wear it down here. She wears light makeup. Eyeshadow, eyeliner, lipstick and foundation. She goes for a more natural look, but red lipstick looks stunning. She doesn't bother with beauty trends, just what she feels comfortable with. She is also less fashionable than Molly. She cares about being comfortable and "age-appropriate." Meaning she doesn't dress like a "mom," but she's not wild either.

W: Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Abigail learned this lesson after all the hell she was put through with John. Her heart felt incomplete, but she never would admit it, even when L.H. Arthur would point it out. She resigned herself to being alone. She felt no one would ever love a single mother, especially one with her past. She had given up on love. Could she be pulled out of that mindset? Yes, but it would take someone very special. IMHO, a woman would have better luck with this. (Granted, women can be super judgmental.)   Xtra (A random headcanon for them)  This was posted in a seperate link because the HC I picked needed some explaining. Y - There was not a Y for the list.

Z: Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

Abigail hates sleeping on her back anymore. Sleeping outside on the ground for so many years has really messed with her back. She's a side sleeper now, but she sometimes rolls onto her back anyway.

[depressedacadamia]

Drunken Dares

Prompt + paring: Tattoo Parlour au, ‘night’ + Solangelo 

A/N:  Hellooo- i had the choice between a tattoo parlour au or a flowershop au but I'm already writing a pjo flowershop au so I thought I'd spice it up with a tattoo parlour au! I kinda wanted there to be a part two becuase I wanted a bit of bonding between the two so maybe if i remember, that may happen? Anyway- enjoy  <3 from phi phi!

Read on A03         Writersmonth 2021       Masterlist

“Do I really have to do this?” Will groaned slightly. It was late at night and here Meg was, pushing him in a tattoo parlour.

“Yep!” She hummed as she pushed him forward.He tripped over his own foot as he flung through the double doors. He was about to continue reluctantly before realising the short minion who had forced him here was no longer by his side.

He turned around and frowned. “ Meg? Why aren’t you coming in?”

“I’m underage,” She hummed.

“You know you can just stand to the side?” Will asked, a slightly desperate undettone to his statement which Meg noticed. He was begging her not to leave him in the scary dark tattoo parlour which was full of buff, scary people.

“Sorry- but I must not break the law!”

“Last week you happily started trying to drive my car!” Will yelled at the glass doors. Alas, his yells were ignored as Meg blissfully ignored him as she continued her walk home, leaving William Andrew Solace in a tattoo parlour.

What was he meant to do?Walk up to the guy at the counter and tell him that he wanted a tattoo? He should have never gotten drunk and played truth or dare- he should have known that the first thing Leo would dare him would be to taint his beautiful freckled skin. The worst part ultimately was the fact that he had to get it on his chest.

Perhaps the gods above saw Will’s freak out or perhaps Leo was simply being extra nice when he saw Will in the middle of the parlour looking so out of place it was painful but either way, the next thing Will knew, he was being taken by the wrist towards the counter by none other than Leonidas Valdez; the very bastard who had gotten him into this mess.

“I’m surprised you actually came,” Leo commented.

“Meg forced me,” Will grunted.

“So,” Leo sighed as he tapped at the cigarette in between his fingers, “ Do you know what you’re getting?”

“Uhh… no, not really., How does this work? You tell them what you want and then they stab at your body with a needle?”

Leo let out a small scoff which had smoke billowing out of his lips and nose as if he was a chimney. “ No, darling- they shave, sanitise and then they stab at your body with a needle.”

“That made me feel so much better.”

Ignoring the evident sarcasm, Leo simply smiled. “ You’re welcome, blondie.”

Wil, ruffling at his hair, mumbled, “Shut up.”

Leo, who was significantly enjoying teasing Will, was cut off by Piper- one of the last people Will expected to see at the tattoo parlor. But on a second look, the tattoos on her abdomen spiraling up to her breasts and arms made Will wonder why he never noticed them.

“Oh Will- you’re actually here?” Piper's surprised voice rang out.

“Unfortunately.”

“Well the artist is ready for you,” Piper ushered him towards the dark room, only illuminated by the UV lights.

Will visibly gulped. Leo and Piper couldn’t help but interlock eyes and snort a little- after all, it was simply adorable at how nervous this newbire was.

Will took small steps and the second he passed the door, it slammed shut.

What the fuck- do the doors here have a mind of their own?

“Come in- take a seat,” A voice commanded. Will, who didn’t really have any choice but to listen to what he was being told, fumbled around, trying to figure out where he was meant to be going. It seemed that Will, in his internal chaos, did not notice the tattoo artist's leg propped up to the side and therefore, when Will finally did notice the leg- it had been the hard way.

He tripped and the next thing he knew, his wrist had made a new best friend. Bruised and swollen, Will’s wrist heavily ached- forcing him to let out a small groan of pain.

“Fuck, are you okay?” the voice rang out. Will heard a relative amount of fumbling and heavy footsteps and suddenly the room was flooded with light.

The face that he was met with was not one he was expecting. The boy had mid length hair- while it wasn’t really long, it was flowing over the nape of his neck slightly and it looked like it really got in the way of his eyes. He watched as the boy seperated the pieces of hair covering his eyes, creating an effortless look.

His face radiated an emotion that Will couldn’t describe- sadness? Or was it simply the face of someone who was content with little?

“Are you okay?” The man asked. Will watched- he had never seen such dynamic expressions and the way this man's face morphed into an expression of concern had him wrapt with all.

Will could only nod stupidly, his hand still clutching at his bruised wrist.

“Dya mind if I have a look at that anyway?” The artist insisted as he grabbed a med kit and sat on his spinning chair before wheeling himself towards Will who now sat on the chair that he was originally appointed.

He gently cradled Will’s wrist between his fingers, turning it round and round. His face contorted between emotion of worry and concern.

“It’s okay,” Will re-assured . “ It’s not sprained or broken, just a bit of bruising and swelling. Should be gone by tomorrow morning.”

“You sure?”

“I’m a doctor.”

“Ah,” He smiled slightly. “ I shouldn’t question you, Dr..?”

“Solace- but Will is fine. How about you?”

“Nico- Now let's have a look at what you want huh?” He closed the notebook he had been creating designs in before Will walked in and pulled out a collection of the most popular designs so far.

“These are the trending ones currently but I can always pull out something else if you want. Or if you have your own design that you wanted, I can try with it,” Nico offered. He pulled out a cigarette and flicked his lighter.- once, twice and a third time before grunting and pulling out a different one. Will watched, hypnotized, as Nico lit the cigarette.

Nico looked up and caught Will staring and shyly asked. “ You don’t mind do you?”

“No… but you should try and refrain from smoking. It’s really, really bad for you and I say this as a doctor.”

“You’re the 4th person today who has said that.”

“I’m alarmed that you managed to smoke that many times today,” Will said with concern.

Ignoring what Will had said, Nico continued. “Anyway, have you chosen anything yet?”

Will let out a heavy breath. “ Ah, no. My friends kinda forced me here but nothing here really matches… me.”

“What about this flower? Or the skull? “

Will shrugged. “ I don't think I’d want those on my skin permanently”

Nico nodded and continued smoking, while Will flipped through the latest designs. Nothing seemed to catch his eye as much as something he could have sworn he saw earlier. It was a stylised sun tatoo- nothing necessarily special but it reminded him of his mum- and his home.

“Excuse me,” Wil started, causing Nico to put his cigarette down in the ashtray, “ I was just wondering if the designs in that were available?”

Will pointed to the notebook That Nico had closed earlier. He watched as Nico hesitated. His face seemed to be stuck between wanting to let Will sneak a peek but it also seemed to want to tell him to stop.

However, his hand simply made up his mind and shoved the book across the table in Will’s direction.

Daintily, with the utmost care, Will opened the first page and his eyes almost watered at the immense detail and beauty poured into these designs. It looked like the heart and soul of the artist had been etched into every little petal, every small ray and eventually after gaping at each page he found the design he had spotted earlier.

The sun wasn’t special but it held Will’s eyes so much that Nico told him, “ Close your mouth. You’re practically drooling.”

“This one,” Will pointed to the stylised sun, “ I want this one.”

Nico scanned his eyes over it before humming and nodding. He put out his cigarette and got up.

“Where d'ya want it?”

“Chest- left side,” Will blurted out. He didn’t know why he wanted it there- perhaps because he wanted the thing that reminded him of his mother to be as close to his heart as possible.

Nico nodded as he prepared everything. Then he turned to Will. “ You realise you’ll need to take off your shirt?”

Will blushed and looked away as he started unbuttoning the top of his shirt. Meg had dragged him out of the hospital as soon as his shift had ended and thrown him into the tattoo parlour and therefore he was still wearing a crisp white shirt.

“Do I need to take off the whole thing?”

Nico took a quick look at Will. The sight that met his eyes was surprising- he used to seeing the chest of his clients but for some reason the sight of a very attractive and intelligent young man before him was very different. He seemed to be looking away as a blush graced his cheeks and ears. His shirt was unbuttoned just enough for Nico to see Will’s muscled chest.

How did a doctor have enough time to work out like that?

“Uh... just a bit more, I don’t want the needle to catch on the side of your shirt.” Nico reiterated, even though he was lying.

“Okay, so now, I'm just going to clean the area and then I’ll trace the sketch before tattooing it on. Do you want red or black?”

“Uh- you can choose,” Will sighed, desperate to get it done and over with.

Nico nodded. He slipped on some gloves and wiped at Will’s chest with an antiseptic. Will flinched at the cold wipe and the soft touch of the artist before him .

“Sorry,” Will murmured, “ It’s cold.”

Nico simply nodded as he began sketching the outline of the tattoo. Will tipped his head back, unable to meet the eyes of Nico ro even look at what was happening. He could feel the tickly touch of the pen on his skin and the soft brush of Nico’s glove on his skin every once in a while.

“All done. Now for the painful part. You may feel like you’re getting stung by a bee a lot,” Nico warned. “Try not move a lot, it will make it harder for me.”

Will, who couldn’t formulate words at this point, simply nodded. “I’d let you squeeze my hand, but unfortunately- I need both,” Nico smiled as reassurance.

He heard the buzzing of the gun and braced himself. The needle poked and prodded as he expected and at times he did wish he had stolen some morphine from the hospital beforehand but all in all, he managed to get the tattoo without bursting into tears and without ruining hids tattoo.

“All done,'' Nico said as he covered the tattoo.

“When do I get to see it?” Will asked, curiously, happier that it was over.

“In a few days- it just needs to sink in.”

Wil sat there, unsure of what to do next. He had paid and was now just sitting in an empty room with his tattoo artist. Was he meant to just say goodbye? Wasn't that kind of harsh?

But Will realised, had this been anybody else or any other appointment- he wouldn't want to be staying for any extra time. Did he want to be friends with this guy? Maybe it was that- yes, it would be that. As someone who was socially awkward, Will knew that he liked hanging out with people; he simply wasn't very good at it

Just as he was going to ask for his number, Nico passed him a slip of paper. “ Here’s my number. Call me when you’re free.”

With that and a wink, Will was left in the empty tattoo room.

[imaginesforthosewhoseekthem]

oh cool i haven't seen anyone do edna & harvey stuff before! if you wouldn't mind could you perhaps do some general relationship headcanons for shy and suka (seperately)

((Gonna be honest, was NOT expecting this to be my first Edna and Harvey request XD I’ll still try my best. Just a slight warning, mild spoilers for Harvey’s New Eyes))

Shy:

Shy is typically one to just go with the flow. When she’s not hanging with Suka, she’s honestly pretty chill. Based on what I saw in the game, she might only fake being mean to people like Lily to be popular. 

I imagine if Suka’s antics are too much to handle, she’ll want to hang out with her partner. 

Shy would introduce them to Shibuya and other anime she likes to see what their thoughts on it are. Even if they don’t like it, it’s still cute to see her so happy. She’s often gushing about how things like Riot Girl is really cool, often finding it hard to focus. As long as you listen, she’s happy anyway. She could go on for hours about her anime, to the point where she gets embarassed at her ramblings.

If Suka suggests something ((Like...I dunno, blowing up the damn school!)) that Shy is unsure about, she’ll likely speak to her partner about what their thoughts are about it are. Suka is her friend, but she sometimes says stuff that Shy is not too sure about. She need someone to give a second opinion.

SHE IS ALWAYS DOWN TO CUDDLE!

If her partner likes Lily, Shy will try not to be mean to her as much when Suka’s around. She’s already pretty tame when it comes to Lily. The worst thing she even says is that she’ll tattle to Mother Supirior, but she never ends up doing it. ((Jee, Mun, I WONDER why)) I think that’s why she and Capu liked each other. They seemed to be the only two genuinely nice kids at the Convent, besides Lily of course.

She is SUCH a romance nerd! Hence why she got so happy to get the love letter in the game. She’ll probably take a bit to get ready for her partner, but ot’s onlt becaus she wants to look her best for them...even if her best is a TON of glitter.

Suka:

If you’re dating Suka, chances are, you’re pretty rebelious yourself.

You were already popular with the rest of the convent by being friends with her, but now that you two are dating, you were the talk of the school.

If Suka is picking on Lily, you tell her to lay off since she’s only a little kid. Either that or you just do nothing becaus eyou don’t really care. There’s not much of an inbetween for the people Suka surrounds herself with. If you chose the former, though, Suka WILL ask why do you even care about an “un-gumbo” little kid like Lily. I will let the readers decide how that discussion goes.

Like Shy, you also encourage Suka’s anime love. Suka is a bit more aggressive about it, because if you look away for a SECOND, she will notice and bark at you to stop watching.

She loves telling you all about Shibuya fashion and the latest trends. Doesn’t matter if you care of not, if she’s talking, you’re gonna frickin listen

Both of you dare each other to see who can swing the highest on the old tire. It’s a miricle neither of you died....well, died sooner.

Reguardles of how Suka is, she does eventually show a softer side. Don’t be fooled though. She is a MASSIVE tsundere 

[tangerinegod]

How did you start getting followers on your art blog?

short answer: i just post my art and tag it 😭 i dont have much advice that i actually follow besides consistent posting but i can give some of my thoughts on building a following down below! prep for a bit of a long post ig?

long answer: i accidentally deleted my entire account in january and was debating if it was worth trying again?? but the community on tumblr is rlly nice and i like sharing my work so i remade ig like 5 months ago now? i wont say the number but i dont have like a big following or anything on here; its less than both my twt accounts haha. i just post like i always do and tag things accordingly in case ppl need things blocked/dont wanna see spec characters ect. and to keep things organized. 

i also dont really post any original work and only really draw fanart so like that helps a lot... all my personal work for ocs and stuff i both dont draw a lot of and also like to keep more private for like portfolio stuff ig? im not saying fanart is like a sell out for clout/lesser but doing work for something ppl are already invested into is a much easier way to build a following than going for original stuff unless what u have really catches the eye? i draw fanart tho just cus naruto is my special interest and has been for like... a loooong time so with or without social media id b drawing it anyways hehe

also posting work consistently is a big way to keep your stuff in the algorithm and for ppl to see it. anytime i take a break on twt for my own mental health i end up droppng 200-300 followers + it can b hard to get back into it; here it doesnt happen as much cus i think theres less bots but if u can manage it posting on a regular basis but not like too much lets people know youre active? it’s not very healthy imo and it shouldnt b that way but it’s what the current trend is ig for building a following..  i try and post on any social media i care about at least once a week if im like suuuuper busy w comms/other stuff but ideally daily/every other day is what i like 2 do, even if its just my garbo doodles i do before bed

and lastly i also try to avoid posting anything that isnt art? if i want to post or share other things i keep private accts on twt and here i am only on for naruto/keeping up w old mutuals so i dont have a seperate account; but if i ever did want to post something not my art/naruto i would make one to keep it separate. some ppl dont care abt seeing personal stuff but i like to keep my things in different places for easy reff and so if ppl visit they can just scroll for fast access w/out other stuff in the way. 

i dont have a ton of advice that differs from what everyone else does to try to build up a following but hopefully this helps! if u have any other q’s tho feel free 2 ask and gl!! 

[imhereonthekitchenfloor]

not a controversial opinion but I love that your blog is so genuine and not like crazy obessed with getting ntoes and taylor likes! it's really refreshing to see someone actually practice what they preach in that regard as opposed to so many Big Blogs, (who have already met taylor) who pretend theyre "horrified by self-rebloggers trying to get attention" but then do it themselves! you seem genuinely not like that and it's so nice to see!

THANK YOU LOVELY ANON!

I like getting notes from time to time, but that's only if I actually try on a post. Sometimes my dumb posts that seem like I wrote them in 30 seconds actually took me 30 minutes to do all the background research and I might self reblog those a few times because I want to make sure everyone had a chance to see my Profound ™️ thought. And yeah I really am just here to discuss Taylor and her music and maybe make some friends along the way! Its such a peaceful and happy way to blog and I reccomend it to everyone. When I first joined I thought I had to care about Taylor or no one would listen to me, but really I was only struggling because I didn't have anyone to talk to yet.

I also find it interesting what some of the bigger blogs in the fandom consider to be bad self reblogging. Because I think if you reblog something more than a few times,we have all seen it. And I will see a lot of people share this opinion. But I have seen a similar trend where people who have met Taylor become more obsessed for her attention. I dont think I could ever be that way. I think it would be cool to meet Taylor, but you have to seperate yourself from your favorite celebrity and I dont understand how so many people on here can put so much effort at all times into one person they dont actually know.

[happyprinceling]

11 questions

The lovely @hazzabeeforlou tagged me in this (and another one weeks ago. Sorry for not answering those questions :( )

1. Are you a start small-work larger type creator, or map everything out then attend to detail? I feel like my writing process is similar to my drawing process: i sketch out something rough and play with different scenarios, then I transfer it to shape it into something worth seeing, and from then on carve out the details.

2. What style of art/writing has most influenced your creative choices? (Genre, time period, muse) ... very obviously Oscar Wilde for writing. And Wolfgang Borchert’s “The Bread”. They’re practically opposite ends of a spectrum and both taught me how to convey emotion. For art, I’d say various trends online rather than a specific artist.

3. How long have you been writing/arting? Is this something you knew you’d do your whole life? I’ve been drawing since I was a wee toddler, when I was 14 I started going to a weekly art school, and now I’m planning on switching my studies to become a special education teacher for art. I’ve been writing since I was 12 I guess? I remember writing a story about a mice circus in 5th grade. The first story I properly thought through was a detective story that i wish i could find somewhere. I go through phases of quality and quantity due to depressive episodes but I thankfully never thought about completely stopping either.

4. What is your favorite thing about creating for your fandom? (reception, excitement, newness, etc.) My desire to create for the 1d fandom has decreased significantly, it used to be much more fun, mainly because people would actually engange with art or fic. Obviously I’m still really excited about coming up with a new idea and happy when people tag my stuff or comment nice things. Seeing the ways in which Girl Direction fans can recognise themselves in my fics is probably the most rewarding aspect.

5. Have you met any recent creative goals that you’re really proud of? I’m just glad I’m drawing a lot recently. I’m thankful I’m acting on my creativity.

6. What is your creative baby; what work do you want stamped on your proverbial gravestone as I MADE THIS (or have you made it yet?) Into The Meadow’s Dawn or Secrets of Eden. If I’d go back and edit it, straighten our the plotholes, flesh it out at some points and make it about 30k longer, it’d be Secrets of Eden 100%.

7. Do outside forces (politics, culture, hegemonies) play into your creations? Do you intentionally or subconsciously subvert norms or explore ideas? Oh absolutely!! I write to explore my own place in the world, whether that’s personally, politically or culturally (as if they could be seperated lol). Oftentimes I negotiate my own worries through creating fantasy worlds. With Secrets of Eden, it’s of course about feeling alienated and vilified by the world about being lgbt, but it also offered me to write about bi-culturality and body image that white cis boy one direction wouldn’t.

8. Your creative mind is a garden. Describe what kind it would be and what it would contain (i.e. rock garden, palace garden, wildflowers, rose… etc.) It’d start off as an untended front yard with lots of wildflowers and pink roses and too many weeds. And then it’d turn into a forest with very big trees that hide the sun. Everything is dark except for the occasional vibrant flower or shimmering pool. (DRAMA)

9. Do you believe that creative art has power and if so, how do you hope yours impacts others? Of course! I didn’t have to study art history or literature to know that. Feeling understood by fellow humans sometimes is only possible through fiction, so I really hope I can make others feel seen and cared for, whether it’s through my fluffy art and short fics, or through the pain in my longer ones.

10. I’m double stealing this question: what’s a fic or fan art that changed your life or was a touchstone for you? Fic: Young & Beautiful!!!! Y&B!!! YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL!!! It showed me that I can be loved despite even with my fears. Same goes for All the World is Bulletshaped in the inception fandom. (Then there is Fading, which probably damaged me permanently. It kind of set off my coming out process but it also left some horrible thoughts about self-perception in my brain)

For fanart: I regularly scroll through @thrina / @thrinp to have a good cry. I could be completely content and happy then look at this and start sobbing. There’s so much emotion in every line, it makes my heart ache. I know that thrina and @neqx made me want to post my own fanart, so they’re responsible for a lot of beautiful interaction in my life.

11. If you could pick any hero of yours to read/look at your creations, who would it be and why? I’m already lucky in that I have both felix @louhearted (in his case even PROOF READING them like WOW),blake @newleafover and phoenix @alienfuckeronmain reading my fics. Can’t wrap my head around that. I’m way too insecure and ashamed to let my other heroes read my stuff, except maybe Malinda Lo? I feel like she would appreciate my world building and my exploration of wlw girlhood.

1. When do you use memories in your writing and when does that feel too fragile or dangerous? 2. I’ve stopped writing a WIP because I realised that I’m still processing the main theme I’m writing about. Do you find it easier to write about what’s on your mind or about something you’ve already had time to reflect on? 3. Which of the five senses is most important to you to describe in what setting? 4. What scene would you love to go back to and change? 5. What scene are you most proud of? Why? 6. What story of yours would you most like to read as a graphic novel? 7. Is there something you feel like you can’t write into fic? Whether you fear others would find it #problematic or it’d be too personal for you? 8. What have you learned about writing or yourself since starting your latest story? 9. What would I have to read to understand the way you think about love? 10. What fic has made you cry recently? 11. Which fic would you want to write fic of?

I’m tagging @louhearted @mediawhorefics @fondleeds @dreaminghigher @eleanorcaldit @languages-and-else and, i know some of you have done this several times now but I’d love to know your answers, @alienfuckeronmain @hazzabeeforlou @haztobegood @lesbianiconharry @newleafover

[hufflepuffwannabe]

Interview with @studyblr

@studyblr was kind enough to give me some of her time to share about her experiences here in the studyblr community. Rachel radiates kindness and quiet wisdom, and this place just wouldn’t be the same without her, right? I really wanted to get to know her better and figured the rest of the world ought to, too.

me: Well, I think everyone is dying to know how you got your URL. What's the story behind it? Rachel: So, I am a very night-active person, thus being on tumblr at about 2 am on a school night (setting a great example, I know). It was around December 2016, this blog being just 4 months old and still called @mujischolar. While I was absent-mindendly scrolling through tumblr I noticed one of the people I was following announced they'd be going on a hiatus. But because their URL was so popular, they wanted to give it away. So I glanced at their URL - studyblr.tumblr.com. As it was on a first-come-first-serve basis I immediately texted her, she was so so nice and after a short talk (we were mutuals) she agreed to give me her URL. I have treasured it ever since. And also, contrary to the myths, have never killed anyone for it....... ever.... ;) me: Hahaha, everyone will be relieved to know no one was murdered. Do you know the origins of the studyblr community? Rachel: Sadly, I don't, discovered the community around 2014/2015, lurking for a couple of years. Would love to know more about it. Maybe we could even set up an anniversary to celebrate the community, hehe me: When did you start becoming really active and what kinds of posts did you post? Rachel: I started becoming really active when I made this blog in August 2016. Fairly quickly I found out that my strength in this community and the main contribution would probably be my text posts! I adore writing them and seeing all of the positive reactions to them. Also, it's something that wasn't *that* popular back then, as studyblr was (and still is) mostly dominated by studyspo pictures. Occasionally I still post some pictures of my own, but my text posts are still most important to me, also the most popular kind of posts on my blog as well! me: Tell me more about your text posts. Do you have a process for writing them? What inspires you? Rachel: Sometimes they're flashs of inspiration like lightning, sometimes little rain drops that slowly unite into a bigger one. Most of my inspiration actually comes from things I struggle with myself, as a sort of self-reminder. What I also really enjoy are concept posts or "types of...." posts, as both help me to, in a way, learn more about myself as well in the process of writing them! Some of my other most popular posts are simple encouragments though, just because I think everyone needs them once in a while. Some time after I started I began having a pretty clear idea how I wanted my blog to *feel* like, the atmosphere I was trying to convey, and a huge part of that is this a cozy feeling of being accepted the way you are but still pushed to challenge yourself and grow as an individual.

me: How has the community grown and changed since you joined? Related: when did your popularity really take off, and do you think that that's helped shaped the community? Rachel: The community has definitely grown a lot and changed as well since I joined. A lot of my followers are not part of the studyblr community, for some this blog has been their first stepping stone into our little world. I've seen trends come and go, from special kinds of pens or ways of taking notes (remember when the Cornell note taking method was all everybody talked about?) etc. My blog has grown ever since I got this URL, and in the span of a year I've gained around 110.000 new followers. What I def noticed was that, to my delight, others started posting similair text posts as well, and they became much more of a part of studyblr than they were before! That made me extremely happy, also because I love reading them just as much as I love creating them. me: There are a number of members of this community who think that there is too much of an emphasis on studying to your breaking point and/or aesthetics coupled with expensive stationery. Basically, they find all of this troublesome and unrealistic. What message would you give to them? Rachel: Romanticization of studying until you are basically destroying yourself is unfortunately very real in the studyblr community, and I have to admit that when I was just starting out here I caught myself thinking in these patterns as well. Much like the romanticization of mental illness or any body-damaging substances it can be incredibly harmful to think that way, and I am very glad that the general awareness for this issue is rising. Somehow, there is this idea that you are not really productive until you are stressed 24/7 and pulling one all-nighter after another. And this is simply not true. Thankfully, there are a lot of posts emerging now critically adressing this problem and debunking it as well. But there def has been a positive development, at least from my perspective, with the enhanced importance of self-care too.       Regarding the studyblr aesthetic, the notes etc: There have been a lot of people over the years in my ask-box simply not realising why one would put so much effort into their notes or their bullet journal, claiming it's unproductive and a waste of time and whatnot. But, clearly, to the people who are passionate about it, it is a hobby they are devoted to and that they enjoy.      Sure, there is always a limit -- rewriting your notes 5 times just because of a little mistake, for example. But as long as one is self-aware about the need for a balance between "I want this to look pretty" and "I need to get stuff done", I don't see a problem with it at all. As with most things, balance is key.      The "expensive stationery" part is an issue that needs to be adressed seperately, I believe. One of studyblr's main flaws is its elitism. Most posts that get reblogged are filled with Muji and Mildliners and Macbooks, with expensive scented candles etc. That's something we as a community have to deal with as well - a great way is spreading awareness esp. to baby studyblrs starting out that YOU DO NOT NEED EXPENSIVE STATIONERY TO BE A STUDYBLR, which is so so important. Another great way though is tracking a tag - mine is #lookstudyblr - where all studyblrs (and blogs and general) can post their posts to for you to see and reblog them. In that way, little blogs or blogs without many followers or with non-conventional set-ups can be supported as well me: Do you think you'll continue with studyblr into university? Rachel: I definitely will! Not too sure what I want to pursue in university, or even in what country I want to study, so this blog is a very nice constant to have haha me: Softball question: What are your favorite study snacks and drinks? Rachel: My favorite study snacks have to be strawberries or blueberries, my favorite study drink has to be (typical studyblr answer i am so sorry) either the berry drink at starbucks or the cinnamon latte thing. i forgot their names. can't even #typicalstudyblr properly, hahaha me: Harder (?) question: What motivates you most of all? Rachel: For a long time, what motivated me most was that I wanted to get accepted to Oxford University. A lot of what I did, even this blog, was part of my efforts to get in there. When I first heard back and was accepted to interview, I was naturally elated. But when I was there - I had pictured it to be so much more than it was. I had completely focused on that and only that, and seeing, when I got there, that that place might really not be for me was devastating. I didn't want to accept it at first, but when I got my rejection, I sort of knew that they just did me a huge favor. Maybe I'll re-apply next year, maybe not, but just the process of realising that there is so much more out there for me has changed me so much. After that, my main motivation changed extremely. Some would argue it's much more vague now, but it gives me the amount of freedom I need: I sincerely want to make a positive impact. Through this blog, through my studies, through my job. I won't lie and say finding something else to motivate you after having something so definite for so long wasn't hard, but I believe this "search" I was going through and in a way still am was such a big part of me, growing as a person. And I am so so glad that my blog is growing and changing with me. me: What would you like to say to baby studyblrs that you don't think has been said before or enough? Rachel: To baby studyblrs I would like to say that you should learn to put yourself first. I believe a lot of people who join the studyblr community are too eager to prioritise their goals, schoolwork or other people before themselves. (Of course it doesn't apply to everybody here, just to a majority, especially when you look at people who are just starting out). Learning to put yourself first is one of the best decisions you can make, and also one of the hardest. Put yourself first, and don't let others define you. Don't let the fact that you don't have expensive stationery define you, or that you dislike the typical studyblr aesthetics, or that bad grade, or that one person's opinion. I'm not saying to ignore every advice anyone ever gives to you, but be aware of yourself and your situation. There's no use in lying to ourselves, it won't make anything better anway, sadly. me: Last question: how has studyblr shaped your life? Rachel: Even if I tried, I don't think I could sum up the ways in which studyblr has truly shaped me, as it is such a big part of my life now. It helped immensly with self-awareness, self-confidence and self-care, as well as connected me to so many wonderful people, I'll always be so grateful for all of this.