my first post

perfectionism led to procrastination

Hello everyone. I created this substack back in August, nearly 5 months ago - and I never posted anything! I’ve always been good at starting projects but finishing them, not so quite…

I’d like to start off my posts with where I’m physically at so you can visualize my current environment. I’m sitting in the law library, at a huge table towards the back next to the windows. This is a library i’ve always wanted to visit, but it’s locked to everyone except law students and they strictly prohibit tailing (for safety reasons). Luckily I’m taking a class here this quarter and thus have access! It is so clean, quiet, and spacious…I’ll be back soon.

Writing has always been something I’ve dabbled in since I was younger, but I never seriously considered it as a hobby. If you’re coming from my Youtube or Instagram, you probably have an idea of the type of person I am and the things that I like, and in some ways you can think of this substack as an extension of my creative endeavors.

But if you have no idea who I am or how you stumbled upon this page, an introduction is long overdue! My name is Deborah, and I’m a 21 year old college student currently living in Seattle. People also know me as dobochobo, and I post videos about my life and the things I’m interested in. I study Communications & Food Systems at the University of Washington, so a lot of my content revolves around my life as a student, the status of which will inevitably change this spring. So close, yet so far! That’s all you really need to know about me for now.

I’ve been sharing my life online for the past three and a half years (publicly, at least…), and even within this relatively short time, I’ve seen social media and the ways people interact with it change drastically. Mainly, because of Tiktok. I’ve been sucked into this neverending cycle of always feeling like I’m falling behind with trends, video ideas, photo dumps, etc etc with these platforms always demanding more, more, more. As a result, within the past year or so I’ve been craving something deeper. Something slower, more meaningful, and personal. Something that isn’t infiltrated with ads (everything seems to be an infomercial nowadays).

The thing that was once 100% my hobby has turned into 50% obligation and 50% fun. I am in no way resentful, as that is simply what happens when you begin to monetize your hobbies and the things that you love! Which I am grateful for because it’s allowed me to take a burden off of my family, support myself, and continue to create and invest in myself and my community. Creating has allowed me to meet incredible people and visit some amazing places, and most of all, connect with a global audience that has made me realize that we are truly never alone in what we are feeling or experiencing in our lives.

That being said, this substack was created for me to have that feeling of being able to post whatever I want, whenever I want, with no one to report to except myself. The algorithm shortens my stories; there are always things left unsaid. Sometimes a girl just wants to ramble, you know? I also want to develop my writing skills, & just have a hobby again for the sake of it!

You can expect a post from me at least once a month, but don’t hold me to it. I’ll be sharing everything from my favorites of the month, what I’m consuming (literally & figuratively), stories from my life, and other random musings and reflections. Of course, you can also request topics in the comments, but I can’t guarantee I’ll get to them.

I wanted to keep this initial post brief, so I’m sorry If you’ve been looking forward to a post! I’ll be back soon with something a bit more interesting.

I hope you’re able to get to know me a bit more on a personal level through this substack, as I feel more motivated to share without the pressure of metrics and a larger audience.

That’s all for now!

until next time,

deborah ♡

what i’m reading, watching, listening (January media favorites)

• Sometimes my problems feel bigger than they actually are. When I feel like this, thinking about how big the universe is and how little I know can be comforting. — Time Tips From the Universe

• The new year always launches me into self-improvement mode, but how realistic are our goals to be more positive, easygoing, hardworking? — How to Change Your Personality

• I’ve been in a creative slump recently (video content-wise) and Damon Dominique voiced all my frustrations in this video — Why I don’t post anymore

• “Living Alone Diaries” has graced the title of countless it-girl lifestyle vlogs. But when did living alone become the pinnacle of adulthood? — Americans Can’t Decide What It Means to Grow Up

• Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what percentage of my friends are “catch up” friends vs “live in real-time” friends. This article helped put a lot of my thoughts into words — What Adults Forget About Friendship