Since Last March: A Year in Review

(One year of blogging and becoming the writer I've always wanted to be)

This time last year, I sat hunched at the desk in my childhood bedroom as I tried to teach myself the basics of web design for several hours.

I didn’t know how to purchase a domain name, not to mention that I had no idea of what I wanted to call this website in the first place, yet I was determined to do something — anything, really — with my time in “lockdown.”

Amid the early days of the pandemic and the uncertainty associated with it, I found myself journaling more consistently than ever. Writing has always served a cathartic purpose for me, and in a time where it seemed like the entire world was scared, confused, and frustrated, expressing my emotions made me feel grounded. It wasn’t my initial intention to ever share these journal entries, but as the month of March progressed, I began to wonder: if we were all in this together (like I kept hearing on the news), is it possible that some of my new COVID-19 experiences would resonate with others, too?

So, I blew off my Zoom class one day and spent the entire afternoon playing around with free blogging templates instead. I had an “Introduction” post already prepared and edited on my computer that was ready for upload; all I needed to do was bite the bullet and go live with my amateur site.

If you go back and read the introductory post that I’m referring to, you’ll notice that I talk about my first attempt at creating a website when I was much younger. Besides the fact that I was 11 years old and really only posted about my Taylor Swift obsession, this blog likely failed due to my fear of sharing it with anyone outside of my family. When I confided in my dad about starting THE P WORD last year, I remember being similarly taken aback when he told me that I should start promoting the site and sharing my posts on Facebook, Instagram, etc.

It wasn’t that I feared rejection or criticism from others, but knowing myself and the style of writing that I enjoy doing, I was nervous about being so vulnerable online. The pandemic was a sensitive enough topic to begin with, and on top of being shy, I worried about sharing the deeper thoughts that often came straight out of pages of my diary.

One year later, I can’t imagine what my life would be like right now if some force hadn’t compelled me to finally hit the publish button for this site.

I don’t really use numerics to measure the success of my posts — in fact, I recently discovered that this website platform is even capable of running analytics reports — and I'd rather just prefer to compare the current version of myself (as a writer, student, person) to where I was last March.

While I may not be proud of the times that I've locked myself out, skipped Penn State football games, or refused to give much thought to my future, I've nonetheless developed a sense of pride toward being able to write about all of these good, bad, and ugly parts of my life. It’s ironic that the very thing that almost prevented me from starting this blog has now become my niche as a writer: vulnerability.

This blog has evolved from containing sporadic posts here and there to a space where I can display other creative projects as well. It's something that I’m proud to highlight on my professional resume, excited to update and design, and eager to share with anyone who is willing to read.

As THE P WORD approaches its one year anniversary, I wanted to extend a proper thank you to those who have supported this project. Thanks for making me feel like my quiet voice can finally be heard and for helping me become the writer I've always dreamed of being.