General pieces of advice for 2026:
Philosophical:
Ignorance is not a sin -- don't be afraid to say "I don't know", despite what academia might have taught you
Ask questions. Most of the time, the worst case scenario the answer you get back is "I don't know"
Think about how those previous two intersect
Remember that progress is not always linear
Forgive yourself. Self flagellation only serves your enemies
Thank folks around you for things that they do that nobody thinks to show appreciation for. It goes a long way when people are seen for the effort they put in
Don't let perfect be the enemy of good
Practical:
Take pictures of the mundane, like your house. You never know when you will need to look back on that again for posterity/prosperity or more likely utility
Wear your face mask. Yes. Still. KN95 or better, make sure it's got a good seal. And keep up to date with your covid boosters. Not only do you not want to get sick, you don't want to be the reason someone else gets sick. It sucks, but getting long covid sucks more. Each time you catch it, your chances of developing long covid increase because the damage is cumulative
Check if your headlights are on. DRLs are not enough, and some cars don't automatically turn them on. If your headlights are on, that will turn your tail lights on. Other drivers need to be able to see you on the road
Take the old batteries out of your vintage computers and electronics so you don't have to deal with a corroded terminals. Varta meltdowns suck
Clean your keyboard -- it's filthier than you think
Help your mom out with doing the dishes, or however that proverb best applies to you and your situation. This includes putting your shopping cart away when you're done with it
Tumblr & The Internet:
Reblog stuff you enjoy for others, and spread the joy. Likes don't mean much here on tumblr, but a reblog may make someone's day -- especially artists!
Engage in good-faith discussions with your fellow user, you might find a new friend
Cite your sources on images and try to tag things accurately where you can. Some folks will enjoy knowing where you found something so they can learn more. The breadcrumbs you drop may lead to someone else's inspiration
Turn off "best stuff first" on your tumblr dashboard controls. It's your dashboard, curate it! Otherwise, you miss out on the really niche stuff
Switch to Firefox
Install an adblocker: ublock origin, pi-hole, whatever's new and beautiful
Don't feed the generative AI. Draw it shitty or hire an artist. There are tons of artists in a wild variety of art styles just waiting for you to plop down some cash. Don't have cash? Try making it yourself with traditional materials or a modern image editing program. Even a scribble on a napkin is more endearing to us and enriching for you than AI garbage
Use bookmarks instead of having a bajillion and a half open tabs. It makes it easier to find things and frees up computer resources. Think of it like cleaning the clutter off of your desk
Mental Health:
Friendships made beyond school are forged through showing up regularly to the same space
Take a moment to enjoy silence in your space. Mr. Rogers put it best, we live in a noisy world
Take a walk when you can
Be brave. The good news is you don't usually be brave the whole time. 30 seconds of blind courage will get you farther than wondering
Use the special fine china, or those things you were saving up for some indeterminate future thing
Miscellaneous:
Call your grandma
Go to a Vintage Computer Festival
and lastly...
Be good to each other
