no. 5

Pinterest: It’s an addiction at this point.

When I’m bored? Pinterest. When I want inspiration? Pinterest. When I want to relax and listen to music? Pinterest.

Why have I decided that this particular website is my comfort? I cannot imagine my life without it.

I suppose it seems a bit weird to have this attachment to a website, but I love it. Whenever I wanted to search for something, a new outfit idea perhaps, or research for my art GCSE, Pinterest was there. Being introduced to it at such an early age (fourteen, perhaps) may have had some sort of impact and explained the attachment, but honestly, I have no idea.

I suppose there’s a level of comfort with the inspiration that I crave. If I am on the hunt for a new pair of shoes or unsure of how to style something I have just bought or am thinking of buying, I go on Pinterest. Studying fashion (at least I assume that is the reason), so many people have said to me, “I want to change my style, but I don’t know where to start or what to do. What do you suggest?”. My go-to answer: go on Pinterest. I think there is something so interesting about the way it creates the algorithm. I find it so helpful to see the different types of media on one platform. Paintings, photography, textiles, mixed media. It’s all there. Even weird things that people make on Etsy or some weird meme from five years ago. It’s all there.

In a way, it makes you think about the amount of media we see on a daily basis. Social media is everywhere. Same with film, television, music, art, fashion, and so on. Everything is everywhere. And it influences so much of our life. Websites like Pinterest have compiled almost anything and everything to make people’s lives easier. How insane. Every little niche thought you have is so easily accessible. The power of these tools is often overlooked. What do you mean I can just search for a particular fashion show from twenty years ago by some random designer, and it will come up? There’s no need to go into library and university archives. No need to do a deep dive into a million different things.

One of my new favourite ways to pass the time at university, of course, when I am not being enriched by my studies, is going to the library and going through all the artsy books and magazines they have. In case you didn’t know, it is real-life Pinterest (I would definitely recommend it). It just makes you wonder about the copious amount of knowledge, art, and everything there else in the world.

Pinterest is such a fun little website. A fun little side quest. A short and sweet appreciation for it.

By Natasha Joshi