Some younger kids might not be able to imagine it, but there was a time when internet and smart devices were not a part of our daily life.
Combine that with growing up in a small town without a train station, it can get pretty isolated.
Making friends has never been particularly easy for me, especially since I was both shy and didn’t seem to have anything in common with people around me.
Some time during my teenage years, internet was introduced to me.
I remember being super excited to sign up on a chess website.
A place full of people like me!
I used the chat box to discuss the game with my opponent, but it would quickly turn into more personal topics. For the first time I felt like I had friends.
The virtual world became an escape for me from the real world.
Later, other social media was introduced to us.
We could post our options, show our artistic side or just share funny photos with the world.
In my early 20s, I have tried out several social medias, but realized it wasn’t really for me.
Until I tried out blogging.
I initially started a blog (now deleted) sharing very personal stories about my life, receiving support and understanding from all corners of the world!
With this current blog, I decided to focus on illustrations only.
The response have been heartwarming.
The coolest part is that I have been able to collaborate with many talented authors creating such a fun range of books.
The cherry on top was of course the Creative Gems Volume 1 project which included many of you!
So, while internet does have its bad sides, I am truly thankful for giving me the opportunity to meet people I actually like!
Thank you again for your continuous support 😊
What type of website were you most excited about when the internet was introduced?
Andrea, Children’s Book Illustrator 
Nice to see someone talk about how online interaction can be positive and helpful. In my experience, many tend to make fun of the bad sides, but we can all choose to enter a community that is better for us – after all, thanks to the Internet, it takes only seconds to click on a new tab instead of starting a fight!
I do still believe there is value in having in-person interactions, which is why I try to make a (very small) platform to bridge the gap, online, but with face-to-face interactions as the community is a private one where I make sure it’s safe.
I most enjoy websites that allow me to find fans of an obscure fictional series or uncommon hobby I can’t find locally. Or places that answer questions about things I won’t find in my library. Good luck finding an encyclopedia in print that has the solution to an indie video game puzzle! Also, while it’s not a website, I’ve been able to take several classes I wouldn’t locally thanks to digital options.
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Nice, I too love wordpress and chess. Also one of my favorite sites are thrift books.com with really good deals for books😄
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Yes, if it wasn’t for WP, you and I might have never met! I’m grateful for this blogging platform.
I could not get enough of just plain articles when I first got on the web. You didn’t have to go to the library to find information on a specific topic (or browse through a million books/ magazines). And it had visual aids like pictures and videos! Fantastic.
It helped me keep in touch (via email) with people I knew that lived far away. That was cool.
WP is definitely my favorite social media platform, though.
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This is a great post Andrea – when I think back the websites I was keen to look at were HOLIDAY ones 🙂
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Oh yes, that is a great example. We used to had to trust the polished brochure pictures, but now we can see the experiences of other guests! Great example of how internet improved our life 🙂
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I remember browsing for national anthems, just because the information was out there to find. Brings back so many memories!
These days you don’t even have to ask colleagues anything, you can just google. Also great for fact checking during discussions 😁
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Ohh, I have to remember that one. Can’t miss out on a good deal!
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You are very right! Some people just like to argue, but it is better to me an adult about it.
I wish there was an CTRL F button for encyclopedia. Could have saved me a lot of time back in the day 😅
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Hahahah! Yes, indeed.
On a flip side – I know plenty of people who still ask. Instead of googling it and finding out themselves, they ask me. I’m unsure of why that is. I see it as lazy (you don’t want to have to scan through multiple links), but maybe there’s more…
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Agreed. The internet has developed is a wondrous place, with its own share of dangers, but plenty of good points and warm friends to make. I’m glad to have been able to meet you through it, Andrea. My dear friend.
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And likewise! WP honestly feels like an escape from the real word from me.
It is a wonderful community 🙂
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Alongside playing the violin and writing, WP has definitely been the same way for me lately. There are just so many great people on here.
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Nice
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This made me laugh re: the encyclopedia! 😆 So true!
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Blogging is more of a safe space for me as well, compared to social media. I love being able to connect with like-minded individuals in a supportive space.
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Well, my favorite thing about the internet is somewhat generic – how easy it makes it to find anything you want – whether a toy from your childhood, or how-to videos, or groups of people with common interests.
Social media is a mixed bag – it allows you to connect with people with similar interests, which can be a good thing. But I’m afraid there’s a negative – people tend to connect more often with similar mindsets, and deliberately avoid anything that doesn’t reinforce their own world view. It makes it less likely to think through issues and find common ground if you can just ignore (or censor) those you don’t agree with instead of having a civil discussion. Requires some deliberate effort to remain open-minded.
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