I’m ready to break the first unofficial rule of Tumblr. Like “Fight Club,” one doesn’t talk about Tumblr to non-Tumblrees. But I don’t care. I love Tumblr and how it has taken over my life.
When I discovered the micro-blogging site over the summer, I never considered making one. I browsed the ones that posted pictures of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and “Inception.” I saw Tumblr as a collection of hipsters and just on periodically checking a few Tumblrs, never getting any more involved than that.
But by November, I couldn’t take it. I had to make a Tumblr and become part of the gigantic Korean pop community. I found Tumblrs dedicated to my favorite pop stars, as well as the Korean pop directory, which nicely categorizes all the KPop Tumblrs. And yes, I am listed on there. I’m pretty sure that’s where all my followers come from.
What I love about Tumblr is that it isn’t about the amount of followers you have or the notifications you get on a post. It’s not like Twitter or Facebook, where you post what will make you look interesting to others. Tumblr is about posting what you find interesting.
My Tumblr is where I let my fangirly self come out in full force. A good 90 percent of my posts are Korean pop-related. The other 10 percent is pictures of Kenichi Matsuyama and other random things I like. It’s the truest representation of myself, the music- and boy-obsessed Brenna that I don’t let the world see.
My favorite thing about Tumblr is the people I’ve been lucky enough to meet. I never thought I’d make a Tumblr friend, but I made my first one this week. Julia and I met through our shared love of Kyuhyun from Super Junior. It doesn’t matter that she’s 13 and from the Philippines – that makes me sound really creepy, but I’m not. I finally have a friend who loves Kyu as much as I do. We’re pretty much the same person, despite the 10-year age difference and the 13 time zones between us.
Tumblr has also strengthened my real-life friendships. I found my best friend’s Tumblr and started following her. Within a week, she had jumped back into the Asian pop scene and now we have Asian night every week. When we’re together, we spend our time on Tumblr, saving pictures and talking about our favorite boys. I owe Tumblr for making us even closer.
Tumblr may often pull me away from work and responsibilities, but I don’t regret a second of it. To have made new friends and become closer with my best friend is worth it.
BRENNA PETERS
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