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11 Things We Would Tell Ourselves If We Could Go Back In Time

Dear Upworthians,Now that we're *officially* one year old, we want to say a colossal thank you! Without your interest in the issues that shape our world, Upworthy couldn't function. If we could find a way to shake every one of your hands, we'd do it. (Full disclosure: we'd probably use a lot of Purell afterward because one of you is bound to have a cold.)When Upworthy first started out, we weren't exactly sure what it would look like. Truth be told, we're still shaping the site. But knowing what we know now, here's the advice we would have given our past selves one year ago.Sincerely,The Upworthy Staff

1. Always remember that the Internet is an inherently amazing place... 
and that people can recognize quality if they get a chance to see it.

Last November, Upworthy ran a story on "GoldieBlox," bringing a million views in just a few days to a fledgling toy company geared toward encouraging little girls to become engineers. The massive rush of orders that came in after Upworthy's post went viral helped move the company in a few days from vision to viable business.


2. A totally virtual office is going to make your virtual watercooler pretty bizarre... 
and sometimes serious business meetings will morph into impromptu costume parties.

Everyone at Upworthy works from home, and the combination of frequent video conferences and solitary confinement makes things get really weird. Here's our editorial team planning out our emergency hat protocol.


3. Keep an eye on your Twitter feed... 
because every once in a while, a super-famous person is going to tweet about Upworthy.


4. No matter how badly your day is going... 
having people who appreciate you will always feel like a digital shiatsu massage.


5. While the majority of your commenters are intelligent and genuine...
you’re always going to get some people who are as witty and respectful as a typical YouTube commenter.

Seriously, if there's one thing Nazis were known for, it's their choice in font size and their traditional last name of "Eisenberg."


6. Even after sending 100,000 animated GIFs to each other on internal Upworthy email...
you still won't figure out whether it's pronounced "JIF" or "GIF."

Cracking this conundrum has become one of Upworthy's most burning, lingering questions from 2012. If anyone knows the actual answer to this, please contact us immediately!


7. Even though it doesn't seem possible, that animated slam poetry video about pork chops and bullying will be really, really good...
like, for real.

This incredible video, posted in January, got 3.44 million viewers raving about how deeply it moved them. All the attention got its creator a last-minute TED Talk slot.


8. The biggest traffic spike of 2012 WILL come in October right before the election, like you expect...
but it will completely baffle you by having absolutely nothing to do with the election, unlike what you expect.

When Jennifer Livingston received a rude email about body image, she delivered an incredibly heart-felt speech about compassion and love. More than 4 million viewers celebrated her fighting back with respectful dialogue by sharing her story all over the Internet.


9. That pop-up box thingy that's kind of annoying...
will also be ludicrously effective at helping you and your incredible partner organizations become larger forces for good in the world.

Look at the bright side: at least they didn't say THIS.


10. Don't ever be afraid...
to tell people you cried.

Upworthy posted some pretty emotional stories throughout the year because we loved them. We found out pretty quickly that we weren't the only ones. Thanks for being willing to shed a few tears with us this year.


11. According to how many unique visitors you get in your first year... 
you can logically expect to have 900 billion unique visitors per month exactly 59,600 years from now.

Our future selves truly can't wait to hit our 900 billion visitor mark!



You know, when we started this thing, a lot of folks we talked to thought there wasn't much of an audience for visual, shareable content about ideas that matter. We're so grateful you proved them wrong. Thanks for making this site what it is, and here's to a great Year 2!













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Prudential
Prudential
Sponsored

Meet the 18-year-old advocating for teen mental health, one inspiring podcast at a time

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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