Whether I’m sick of stalking people on Facebook or getting bored in class, my “go to” boredom fix is to scan through my usual lineup of blogs. Some of these blogs I’ve been reading for years but others are new favorites that I’ve only recently discovered.
Blogs are great to read because not only do they give advice and information about topics that you’re actually interested in, but they’re also written by real people, so they give info that is practical and applicable to your own daily life.
If you’re looking for some new blogs to add to your repertoire, my first piece of advice would be to check out any blogs that you might already love and to see if they have a list of other blogs they follow. Most blogs have a list of other blogs that they’re currently enjoying and those are a great place to find new favorites. Another great place to look is the annual Weblog Awards (http://2011.bloggi.es/). Every year the best blogs are nominated and voted on according to certain categories like Fashion and Beauty, Gossip, etc. The winners are posted as well as the runners up.
You can also check out some of my favorites here to get started:
Fashion Blogs:
Cupcakes and cashmere – written by Emily Schuman, a twenty something living with her fiancée in LA, Cupcakes and cashmere could really go under any of the three categories here. This blog combines everything fabulous in life – pretty clothes, good food, and skillful decorating. It is great for daily inspiration for outfits and cooking as well as for tips on where to shop.
The Sartorialist – voted one of the most influential blogs in the world, Scott Schuman’s blog began as a pet project but has quickly transformed into a wildly popular source for trends and style inspiration. While these styles may not be as practical for everyday use, they provide great inspiration and tips on which trends to follow.
College Fashion – this blog provides the ultimate fashion guide for college girls (and occasionally guys too!). Updated several times a day (always a huge plus), CF posts outfit ideas for class, dates, theme parties, etc. They draw inspiration from movies, Disney characters, favorite childhood shows, or anything that stirs their interest.
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Cooking blogs:
The Pioneer Woman – This website has the best and easiest recipes to follow, especially because they feature great step by step pictures that show you exactly what everything should look like as you’re cooking. It also has a great forum where anybody can post delicious recipe ideas called Tasty Kitchen.
Smitten kitchen – This also shows step by step pictures for your cooking projects and has a ton of delicious recipes! It even breaks them down into different categories like seasons, ingredient, or occasion so that you can find the perfect recipe.
Small Kitchen College – This is the consummate guide to cooking and eating for college students. It features recipes that are easy to make with limited supplies, ideas for parties, drink suggestions, and a lot of other great stuff. This also breaks down the recipes in the best ways – you can search for recipes that require limited skill, or that have no meat, or that don’t require a microwave, for example.
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Lifestyle:
College candy – if you’re looking for a place to procrastinate, look no further! College candy has so many great features – “He said, She said” a Q&A section for girls and guys, cheat sheets for current events, studying advice, and much more.
Rockstar diaries – this is one of the more recent additions to my lineup of blogs but I’m loving it so far. Naomi is only 25 and she’s already married and has an adorable baby girl and the cutest bulldog and somehow she manages to do everything in great style. She’s also currently living in Capitol Hill so she has great ideas for places to go in DC!