Eight Year Blogging Anniversary

Today I published my first blog post eight years ago! I was a 14-year-old high school freshman during the peak of the YouTube beauty community exploding.

I had been in the hospital in February 2009, and despite not being allowed makeup or personal care, one of the girls who was staying down the hall had eye liner on that didn't budge during my stay. She told me it was a M.A.C Cosmetics eye kohl, and when I got out I should look into it.

When I got home the following week, I searched online and found the YouTube community. Although I wasn't confident enough to make videos of myself, over the next several months I began learning techniques and tips about beauty before starting my blog in October. 

Through my blog I've met friends and fellow creatives, worked with and experienced amazing brands, learned about working for myself, and so much more. I always knew I wanted to be some kind of writer when I was growing up, whether it was books or magazines, and after starting my blog, this prompted my choice to study Journalism in college. 

My blog has undergone several name and domain changes for the better since 2009, until I settled on switching to JacquelineWeiss.com permanently last fall upon my impending graduation from college.

I've learned a lot from the creative women and men that I've been lucky to engage with over the past nine years, and my biggest takeaway is to BE YOURSELF. Yes, there are Instagram posts that will do better because of a certain aesthetic, and outfit posts always perform well, but in the wake of tragedies almost every day and the realization that yes, bloggers are people too, opening up about your mental health, stance post-election, friendship fall-outs and career changes can bring you not only immense self-relief, but more praise from your readers. 

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Enjoy the run.

xx