You do it at home. You do it in class. You do it while you’re waiting in line during lunch
rush hour in the SAC. You pin.
There’s nothing like the rush of clicking repin on a mouth-watering recipe, a divine
wedding invitation idea, a must-do DIY project, or an NYC Fashion week worthy outfit.
Pinterest has gained popularity since last year, and college women are one of the top
demographics for those who spend the most time on the website. Here’s our challenge to
you: Instead of just pinning fun things online, take ideas from it and have fun offline!
Food
Do you have several boards dedicated to recipes; sorted into appetizers, entrees, and
desserts? Can you handle the heat inside the kitchen? Then let’s toss you a spatula,
because you’re a Pinterest chef! Samantha Willamson, a third year computer science
major, loves repinning scrumptious recipes onto her “noms” board. “I love Pinterest
because it narrows everything down to the best of the best,” said Samantha. She’s right:
Pinterest makes it easier to sort through recipes, and you immediately get a visual of
what the finished product will (or should) look like. But why leave those delicious recipe
photos to just be eye-candy? Host a dinner party with your friends and try a few
recipes out! You can even invite your friends over to help make the food. Bonus points if
you talk like Julia Child and pretend you are filming a cooking show!
Weddings
Maybe you’ve exhausted your wedding movie collection, maybe you don’t want to
spend money on a wedding magazine, or maybe you’ve seen all the Google image
search results for “barn wedding.” Whatever the case may be, we know you love turning
to Pinterest for your dream wedding ideas, and you are clearly a Pinterest event planner.
While I don’t know if your wedding planning skills will find you the man of your dreams à
la J. Lo and Matthew McConaughey in The Wedding Planner, I do know that you can
easily use your skills to plan events around campus and Austin. People are constantly
wanting to throw swanky soirees, but need someone with a sharp set of eyes for
details, insane organization skills, and who squeals with delight when they hear the
words “layouts,” “color palettes,” and “themes.” Fourth year women and gender studies
major, Cherokee Washington, uses Pinterest for inspiration to think about her own
future wedding. “I know it sounds cliche, but my favorite category is weddings,” she says. “I love to
see the various styles from different people.” To polish up on your event planning skills,
look into Texas Belles, a student organization right here on campus. And I won’t tell
anyone if you listen to “Marry You” by Bruno Mars while you check out their website.
Crafts
Armed with a glue gun and glitter, it seems as though Pinterest artisans could build
a castle with the simplest of materials. What’s so great about the crafts on Pinterest
is that they are mostly DIY and affordable! You can use them for dorm decorations or
gifts to parents. Katy Wicker, a second year theater and dance student has done both.
“I created a weekly calendar out of seven picture frames,” she said. “I put colored paper inside of
it and I can use dry-erase markers on the glass! I use it in my dorm room all the time.”
Katy didn’t stop there. For her dad’s 60th birthday, she wrote to 60 of his friends and
asked them to send their memories with her dad. She had an overwhelming response
and was able to give her dad a present he would never forget. “I love my dad, he’s a
great man,” she said. “I loved every moment of making this for him!”
Clothes/Beauty
Although the clothes and beauty boards of Pinterest can seem a bit daunting, (Can you
really make a dress by cutting three slits into a XXL shirt? Are there any cute hairstyles
for girls who don’t have long, straight hair?), those boards can inspire some snazzy
outfits, turning the campus into a catwalk. If you are a Pinterest stylist, you know that
you can easily recreate looks of Pinterest outfits by finding similar items next time you go shopping. They also have step-by-step tutorials for hair and make-up! You can even show off your own style on Pinterest by uploading your unique looks. Kelsie Burdett, a third year accounting major, says “Pinterest is a great way to get style ideas, so I shared a picture of my own hairstyle for others to see!” Sharing new ideas with friends is Celeste Castillo’s, a fifth year choral music studies major, favorite part of Pinterest. “It’s such a great way to share things that you like with your friends, and vice versa,” she said. I think we can all agree that it would be ah-mazing if our closets were secretly connected to ours and our friends’ style Pinterest boards, but instead you can try hosting a clothing swap with your fellow collegiettes! Gather up the girls and bring any clothes you no longer wear. Trade them around, and it will feel as though you just went shopping without spending money!
Let’s just face the facts: Pinterest holds a special place in a college woman’s heart. With so many pictures of food, weddings, crafts, and style, we understand the need to keep Pinterest as a part of your procrastination routine. Just remember to use your Pinspiration for real life!