Setting up WordPress
After reading the instructions for today’s assignment, I installed WordPress and started building my personal website (here it is!). At first, I didn’t realize I needed to delete the default post provided by the template, so I was confused when some initial settings remained even after deleting the template pages. Once I removed the original post, the steps went more smoothly. I created the About Me page using a template that matched my expectations. It displays a photo of me on the right and a short introduction on the left. I especially like how it begins with a huge “HEY” in the middle of the page—it looks funny, maybe a little silly, but also welcoming. Then I followed the instructions to install the spam protection plugin Akismet, making my site safer. Next, I chose a colorful and playful theme that looks like an adventure-themed children’s book. I changed the title from The Magic of Nature Island to The Magic of Digital Humanities so it would fit with the heading “Hacking Humanities.” I may update the title later once I decide what direction I want the site to take. The original “Explore More” button had a white background and black text, but I changed it using additional CSS: now the background is blue with white text and a white outline, which matches the background illustration better.
What my website could do?
I haven’t yet decided whether this website should highlight my personal life, hobbies, or academic work—probably both! I’d like to upload photos of me cooking, playing music, or bouldering, as I mentioned on the About Me page. Since I am hosting the site, I could also create a travel gallery and keep it updated. The selfie on my About Me page was taken at the Olympics in Paris last summer, so that might be my first gallery entry. Beyond personal content, I’d also like to post some of my research and projects from CS and linguistics, along with articles and reviews I’ve written.
Pros and Cons of hosting your own website
The best part of hosting a personal website is the control it offers. Unlike social media, where layouts are fixed, designing your own site lets you arrange and present content in ways that are both aesthetically pleasing and personally meaningful. Of course, personal websites have limitations: interaction is limited, content spreads more slowly than on social platforms, and maintaining the site can be challenging with spam or server issues. Still, I’m excited to keep exploring what I can build here.
