My Site
Check out my WordPress here: http://leeg3.sites.carleton.edu/ (only the “about me” page is completed).
Setting Up
Setting up my own WordPress was quite fun! I was a bit nervous initially, since I had no experience with creating my own blog or site. However, navigating WordPress was a lot more intuitive than I thought, and I think it’s quite user-friendly especially for those that are just getting started with web development. In addition, I have no doubt that setting up my site was made a lot easier due to the instructions that were provided for us in the assignment. For someone like me who gets easily overwhelmed with all the options, settings, plug-ins, etc., it was great to have clear starting points! Now that I have the very basic foundations set, I feel a little more confident in branching out and further customizing my site.
Now What?
Having my own WordPress is very exciting for me, and I think I could use it for many different purposes. I could use it as my online art portfolio, or perhaps a combination of an art portfolio and resume. I could also use it as a personal blog; I’ve been into photography and poetry, so it might be a great outlet for me to document my thoughts, experiences, etc. I typically spend large parts of my summers biking and hiking, so perhaps this blog could encourage me to record my travels for family and friends (especially after I leave Carleton).
Pros and Cons
Creating one’s own website from scratch certainly allows complete control and customization. For those that have very specific needs for their site, I can see the benefit of “rolling your own” website so that it meets any unique requirements. Of course, this would be a lot more time consuming, and would require more extensive knowledge and skillsets in coding and web development. For those who wish to have their own site for more mainstream purposes (such as blogging, a business site, etc.), a hosted service or social media platform is a really effective way of creating an online presence through quicker and easier means.
I love your “about me” section! It feels really cute and personal.
I think using the site for personal documentation, both in terms of resume elements, like an art portfolio in your case, and as a journal of sorts would really help create a rounded image of the person. I really enjoyed reading your bio page because it felt playful while being helpful in framing your larger identity.
Wow, cool “About Me” section. I love how all-encompassing and easy it is to read. I agree that social media is a lot easier to set up and gain traction on, which makes me wonder what kind of niches blogging is left to still fulfill.