Ronalds Vilciņš

Social media like Facebook and Instagram are a big part of life today. It’s easy to make a quick page. But I keep thinking about something that feels old now: the personal website. I’m not talking about the fancy, perfect pages we see all the time. I mean the strange, real, often messy websites people used to make just for themselves.

I miss the time when a personal website really showed who the person was. These sites weren’t trying to sell things or make someone famous. They were about sharing hobbies, random thoughts, weird interests, or just a list of other cool places on the internet.

What Made Them Special?

Years ago, if you wanted a website, you often had to learn a little bit of computer code. You’d build it piece by piece. This meant every personal site looked different. You’d see pages with wild pictures in the background, blinking words, guestbooks where people could write notes, and long lists of “favorite links.”

These sites felt real. They weren’t trying to fit in. They were like digital gardens, cared for by one person. They grew in whatever way that person wanted. You could find a page about someone’s love for old cartoons, or a detailed guide to building toy airplanes, all shown in their own special way. It felt like you were looking into someone’s online home.

The Problem with Big Platforms

Today, it’s super easy to make a website or share what you’re doing. We have TikTok, LinkedIn, and many other places to post. These tools are great for sharing quickly. But they have a big problem: you don’t really control them, and they don’t show your true self as much.

When you post on social media, you have to follow their rules. Your stuff lives on their computers, looks how they want it to look, and can even be taken down if they don’t like it. You’re like someone renting a room, not owning your own house.

Website templates, even though they make things simple, often make everything look the same. It’s fast, but it takes away the chance for you to be truly unique. If everyone uses the same clean designs, where does your personality show?

Why Personal Websites Still Matter

Lately, I’ve seen more people starting to bring back personal websites. And I think this is very important. Here’s why:

• You Own It: A personal website is your space. You own your words, your pictures, and your design. It’s a digital home that can’t be taken away by a big company’s changing rules.
• Freedom to Be You: You can make your site look exactly how you want. Want a strange color mix? Go for it. Want to write a very long story about your cat? No one will stop you. It’s a place where you can express yourself freely.
• A Unique Voice: In a world where computers push popular things, a personal website is a place for small interests, quiet thoughts, and real ideas that might not become “viral” but are still very important to you. It’s a place to build your own online identity, not just a profile.
• A Lasting Memory: Social media posts often get lost in endless feeds. A personal website can be a lasting record of your thoughts, projects, and how you change over time. It’s a digital memory you control.

Finding Your Digital Home

The personal website isn’t just about looking back; it’s about taking back a piece of the internet for ourselves. It’s about building a digital home that shows who we really are, beyond likes and shares.

So, if you’ve ever thought about making your own little spot on the internet, away from the rules of big platforms, now might be the perfect time. Let’s bring back the strange, wonderful, and truly personal internet. What would your own digital space look like?