The sense of place is strong in this one.

Tumblr. You may know of it, you may not, and if you are one of those who fall into the latter category, I would advise you follow this link https://www.tumblr.com/ and create yourself an account now. Tumblr is not your normal blogging website. Some describe it as a ‘microblog’, as it is a cross between a social networking site and a blog (WebWise, 2015). Traditional blog posts, like the ones we are doing this semester, generally consist of long diary style entries. However, in the microblogging community of Tumblr, most people create short text posts, share photos and videos. Now although this sounds a lot like a normal social media site, such as Facebook, the difference is that in the same aspect of a normal blog, it is being posted on the internet for everyone to see. It is normal for Tumblr users to stay anonymous, as many find a sense of freedom from their anonymity online. Tumblr is a space full of differing genres, and many find their own places within one or more of them. This meaning, the texts, photos, and videos shared on the website have over time been grouped in different classes based on their similarities (A. Van Luyn, 2015). Therefore, many users end up surrounding themselves with genres that help to shape their identities.

The sense of place is strong in this one. Tumblr is the only place I feel at home on the internet, as I have chosen to surround myself with thing things I love. For me, my place in the Tumblr space is a mix between the fashion world, beautiful places where I would love to travel, and the most unbelievably funny things that appear on the World Wide Web. I entered the space of Tumblr unsure of what I wanted to create, but I found a freedom in painting the blank canvas that was my blog with every aspect of my personality and making it my place. This isn’t just the case for me though. Everyone I know who is on this website has been able to create their own place in this space. I feel as though Tumblr is the place that we go to when we cannot find a place like it in the real world. For many it is a place of their deepest and darkest thoughts, and for others, like me, it is a getaway, a laugh, and a place I store my dreams that I will one day achieve. The sense of place is overwhelmingly strong, and like Tillich in Yi-Fu Tuan’s Space and Place, Tumblr gives the feeling of openness, infinity and unrestricted space. Because, in the end, it is what you make of it, how you see it, and how it makes you feel, that makes it your place.

WebWise (2015) Explainer: What is Tumblr. Retrieved from http://www.webwise.ie/parents/explainer-what-is-tumblr-2/