Hurry, Katrina C!: Something about me that you should know / Blogging Tips

Last Saturday, I met a Youtube blogger, Dress Monsta (Be Daul) during a photoshoot. We had a short discussion about blogging as I am still learning the tricks in making a successful blog. She gave me some useful advices that is worth sharing. If you are thinking about starting a blog, here are some questions to think about:

What is your blog about? Fashion, art, DIY, or purely just you?
What makes you different than the other 34102971 bloggers?
What can your viewers expect the next time they enter your blog?

After having a short conversation with Be, I actually found those questions difficult to answer. Trying to figure out "Who is Katrina?" was the biggest challenge. This is a question that I ask myself throughout different stages in my life, from primary school, middle school, high school now college. I think it is hard for anyone to define themselves.

So I started going through my old photos for some reason. (I guess I still linger in the past sometimes, which is a good and bad thing) There are certain things that is different about me now. I stopped posting pictures of me making silly faces; now they are all poker face. I post less personal photos on my facebook account. Looking at my instagram account, I actually no longer find myself attractive. If I were a guy, would I hit on this girl? Probably not, I am not fun, carefree and interesting as before. Boring could possibly be a word to describe myself now. So I kept questioning myself what was the cause of such change?

1. One of the factor was because I was madly in love with my ex in New York before. I was constantly trying to be more mature for him, hence I slowly post less silly and cheesy photos of myself. However, trying to be someone else but yourself could sometimes give you the opposite result. I was trying to be more mature when I am not. I actually became more depressed and emotional than I ever was because of self struggle in most cases. Though, I now learnt that you cannot just try to become more mature, you can only grow from mistakes and experience. So don't force yourself to change for anyone. If things don't work out, there must be a reason. P.s. What defines maturity anyways? No matter how mature you are, there will always be immaturity in you, don't you think so?

2. Another factor could be Parsons. Here in Parsons, everyone tries to be "cool", which is on the edge of artistic, trendy, different, unique. So I slowly adapted that no smile artistic "cool" culture. (In thinking of different, you actually become the same as everyone at the end of the day. You are differently same; same difference.)

3. But above all, I think, is I started blogging. I always try to present something the general public would probably appreciate. I am conscious of what I write, whether they sound professional or not, whether I am using the right words, whether my grammar is correct. I would sometimes even look at how other bloggers write, look at their instagram and investigate what makes them popular and successful. I shop more than I ever did because I want to buy more clothes for photoshoots when I am supposed to just pull out whatever is already in my closet. "Style is not about constantly following trends and buying the latest items in the rack, but how you mix and match your clothes." This is what my mum taught me when I was a little girl. Such motto has been forgotten as I became obsessed with this whole blogging thing. I became so paranoid about the numbers of followers I have.

I slowly find myself imitating other bloggers instead of really showing who I really am.

Am I just another clone now? Where is my individuality?

This self realization at last gave me some answers. From now on:

What is your blog about? Me. Who I am.
What makes you different than the other 34102971 bloggers? There is no other Katrina Chan. This is the only Katrina Chan that you can find on this planet. This itself already differs.
What can your viewers expect the next time they enter your blog? Don't expect. My posts will be based to my feelings, inspirations, attitude towards life, my ootd, my travel, my experience, basically whatever comes into my mind.

I should write whatever I want to because this is my blog, not anyone else's. Not his, not hers, not yours. Whether the public likes it or not is not under my control so I shouldn't have to over think what I write but stay true to myself, right? Trying to be someone else than yourself leads you nowhere. There will always be people love and hate so just do what you want! :)

In conclusion, blog about anything you feel strongly about would be my ultimate advice!

Now that winter is gone, it's time to welcome Spring and the new/old Katrina.