A guide to the Tumblr world

Hipster Haven: Where the coolest, hippest and most fashionable things are

As virtual travelers tour the continent of the hipsters, they encounter a plethora of fashion, filtered photography, inspirational quotes and the world's best creation, Nutella.

One of the most prominent cultures on Tumblr, hipster blogs allows young people, mostly ages 15-25, are able to express themselves by posting photos of their newest purchases from the mall (with a filter, of course), DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects, henna tattoos  and more.

There are many categories within the hipster continent. One of the most prominent is “soft grunge,” which features “hardcore” personas of dip-dyed hair, ying-yang symbols and Nirvana tees.

And of course, there is the coveted Nutella, the hazelnut-chocolate heaven that we all crave. There are hundreds of posts, from recipes to artistic drawings, dedicated to the sweet spread.

As of October 2014, the most popular hipster tags include: #fashion, #photography and #clouds.

The land of hipster is a broad one since share the trait of allowing the bloggers to express themselves freely.

Fandom Fantasy: The Experience of Fangirling or Fanboying

Fandom: the state or attitude of being a fan.

This may be the typical definition of “fandom,” but, on Tumblr, it’s a lifestyle.

A fandom is a community in which members discuss works of fiction, such a television shows, movies or books.

Entering the Fandom Continent can be confusing at first, but once you enter, it’s difficult to leave.

The most common way people express their enthusiasm for a fandom is by posting or reblogging quotes and sets of gifs  (graphic interchangeable format) from various television shows, movies or books to express hate, love, angst, frustration and sympathy for characters. Some fangirls and fanboys also create fanart or fanfiction.

Among the most popular fandoms are “Sherlock,” “Dr. Who,” “Supernatural,”  “Game of Thrones,”  “Harry Potter” and various Marvel creations, like “Iron Man” and “Captain America”.

Within the Fandom Continent lies numerous lands. One of the most vast ones is Shipper Lake, which is dedicated to bloggers who “ship,” or pair two characters together as a romantic couple.

Another populated land is Crossover Country, where hybrids between shows are made. Fangirls and fanboys create works in which characters or concepts from different fandoms come together, forming new storylines and new relationships. An example would be a crossover between the characters of “Once Upon a Time” and “Grimm,” both fantasy television shows.

Giving fans a chance to profess their feelings about their favorite shows and movies, fandoms form one of the biggest communities on Tumblr.

Meme Mecca: The place to LOL

Get ready to LOL! Meme Island is the one place where laughs are never-ending. After entering Meme Island, one will encounter iconic memes that will be funny memories to last forever.

A meme is a cultural or social idea or symbol that is rapidly spread throughout the Internet. Usually, memes are intended to be humorous but still convey an idea that can be serious.

For instance,  the “skeptical third world kid” depicts a child living in a third-world country eyeing a well-off foreigner doubtfully yet comically. The meme is superimposed with text such as, “So you’re telling me you have paved roads, but drive through mud and dirt for fun?” It draws laughs but also addresses the distinctions between first and third world countries.

Memes can come in a variety of different mediums: pictures, gifs, videos or music. Some of the most popular ones circulating Tumblr include “Doge”, “trolling”, “Bad Luck Brian” and “twerking.”

No matter what the meme, all are intended to invoke a chuckle.

‘90s Nirvana: Venturing into Nostalgia

The typical ‘90s kid can never let go of his or her past. Stuck in the past, they create a whole other world of crazy: the ‘90s Island.

Spending days reminiscing about iconic shows such as the “Rugrats” or life-changing movies such as “Clueless,” the bloggers of the ‘90s Island discuss the beauty and superiority of ‘90s culture.

All 90's bloggers seem to believe that the pop culture today simply does not live up to that of the ‘90s. For example, today’s One Direction is no match to NSYNC, a boy band from the ‘90s.

Essentially, posts comparing today and the ‘90s support the bloggers’ opinion that the ‘90s were the best years the world has seen.