Truth be told, I’ve been staring at my screen for about five minutes before I started typing.
I haven’t opened my blog for about a year now, so I’m kind of feeling awkward looking at my blog’s interface and all that. But I’ve had this idea to share how reconnecting with old hobbies these past few months really felt like coming home. So here I am.
And it’s not like I completely lost interest in reading books. I actually went to Goodreads and checked my reading activity to see how many books I’ve read since 2023 and got surprised that I’ve finished a total of 13 books in 2023-2024, and this year I’ve already read 8 books.
While it’s nowhere near what I was hitting before, it still felt good.
And I still hit random slumps here and there. The longest one was almost a year, too! Like I finished my last 2023 read in July 2023, then I read my first book of 2024 in May that year. It’s like I’d read for 2-3 months straight, then won’t touch a book for the rest of the year. 😅
I realized I also lost the spark in creating content about books. I stopped writing full-length book reviews, listicles, and even on Instagram, I never really posted that much about books. I also lost touch with some of the bookish friends I had (because, adulting). Even in my circle of friends, we rarely go to book events together nowadays.
For me, it felt like putting a pause on book blogging was the best choice. I even considered quitting altogether, but that felt too final.
I guess one of the reasons why I stopped was… well… do people still read book blogs?
Even I rarely do. Although, to be fair, I mostly go on Goodreads and StoryGraph to check book reviews. I also didn’t keep myself updated with new and recent releases. I felt like the online book community wasn’t the same as before, too, not to mention the mass exodus from Twitter to Threads. If you were part of the online community pre-pandemic, you would know.
Another reason why I stopped was the shift in content creation. Bookstagram and BookTok became bigger, so naturally, more people preferred short-form content and videos. Even some publishers and their influencer programs require a certain number of followers and platforms before you can be accepted. It was a huge contrast to the ARC programs I was part of before.
That’s why I asked if people still read book blogs earlier, because it seems like they don’t. I have nothing against Bookstagrammers and Booktokers, don’t get me wrong. I love love love seeing bookish content and book recommendations in my feed. But compared to photography and video creation, I personally think writing is what I do best. Still, I try to post from time to time on both platforms because I realized I still love talking about books.
Aside from reading, I also love to keep a journal and planner. I like outlining my tasks for the week and being on top of my priorities. I even used to keep a separate journal where I write about milestones, goals, and track books, movies, and shows I watch. But the last two years felt too repetitive: work, work, birthday, work, meet friends, work, work, work, and more work. There was no point in writing the same stuff over and over again. I still kept planners, but more pages were left unwritten.
I knew I was stuck in a toxic cycle. I was aware I was bedrotting and doomscrolling. I liked the silence of working late nights to early mornings, even though I had flexible working hours. Until the silence became too loud.
I was depressed.
And I was still grieving.
I knew my mom would hate to see me that way, so I put in the work.
Picking up hobbies old and new
I took small steps, like adjusting my sleep cycle or meeting with friends more often. I spent the last year reconnecting with myself. I even tried to join a book club, but that one really didn’t pan out, since I’m a mood reader. But I did try to read outside of my comfort genres and dipped my toes in translated Asian lit, and so far, I’m enjoying it (currently reading Welcome To The Hyunam-dong Bookshop as of writing).
I started posting monthly reel videos or carousel posts on Instagram and TikTok. Something I’m trying to consistently do.
I also rekindled my love for journaling, so I’ve been putting my old stickers and washi tape stocks to good use. Never mind that some of them aren’t adhesive anymore. HAHAHAHA!
And I’ve made a post about this before, but I got into K-pop music as well. It’s mainly Seventeen and Day6, though I haven’t really explored much outside these two groups. I love to watch K-dramas, and this is where I’m mostly consistent at! 😆
Speaking of Korean culture, I also took Korean Language Classes at the Korean Cultural Center last May. These are free classes, but the slots are by raffle. Honestly, I just randomly applied without any expectations of getting in. The classes went on until August, and it was actually fun! I was nervous because that was my first formal language class, and I was used to self-studying. But I really had a great time, and I’ve actually applied for the next term, which will start this September!
So, what’s next?
I don’t exactly know. I have plans of posting on the blog again, though. I just haven’t figured out a content plan yet, but I really want to work on it soon!
I also still receive publicity emails and other collaboration requests, so I believe they’re signs to continue what I want to do.
So, I will.
