38 I finally did it. I registered for a Pinterest account. I told myself I wasn’t going to give into the craze, but once I looked at it, I was intrigued. Although I have used it several times in the past month, I am still learning the ropes. In order to fully explain what the craze is about, I asked a few friends to help me out. Senior Megan Weldy said, “Pinterest is pictures of interest. If it interests you, repin it.” It sounds simple but there are several steps involved. Step 1: Go to www.pinterest.com Click on the red button that says “Request an Invite.” The Pinterest team will send you an email on how to set up your password and login. Once that is done, you are ready to get started. Step 2: Look at pictures on the site. “You can type a word in the search engine box, and any pictures with those words in the description will appear,” said Weldy. You can also search for and follow the "boards" of friends. Step 3: If you like a picture, repin it on one of your own boards. “If you like the picture and want to put it on your board, then you hover over the upper left hand corner of the picture where a button called ‘repin’ will appear,” said Weldy. A box will then show up asking if you would like to create a board. Step 4: Create a board. Now you can create categories to help organize your pins. Junior Taryn Cooper has boards featuring “Yummy Foods & Beverages,” “Future Home Ideas” and “My Style.” Weldy has given the names of some of her boards including “The Power of Words,” which consists of books she wants to read; “Ideas, Ideas, Too Many Ideas!” for her wedding; “Penny for Your Thoughts” for the quotes she wants to remember; and “Perfect Housewife” for recipes and do-it-yourself projects she would like to complete after she gets married this year. Step 5: Make a description. For each photo you decide to repin, you can add a description so it appears when other's search for your description's topic. This allows others to repin your pin. Step 6: Click “Repin.” Congratulations, you have done it! You are on your way to becoming a professional pinner, but be careful! It is easy to become consumed in the world of Pinterest. “Pinterest can be extremely addicting,” said Cooper. “I would be sure to monitor your time on it because if not watched, it can consume a lot of your time.” Regardless of the time it may take out of your day, Pinterest can be great in moderation. It has been found to be a very useful tool for those who want to find recipes, plan a wedding, search for books or try a new clothing or hairstyle. “The great part about Pinterest is that you can repin something that you would like to come back [to] try later when you have more time,” said Weldy. “Also, there are tons of tutorials and information about crafts and home décor; anyone interested in making their living space acceptable or pleasing to the eye needs to get a Pinterest account. It keeps all the good ideas centralized and you can pick and choose and revisit your pics again later.”
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