By Ysabella Pena

Looking for an online sanctuary free of parental interference? Tumblr.com is a place where students are free to express themselves through Internet blogging.

Tumblr puts a whole different spin on web blogging with its user friendly click-and-go options. Unlike Facebook, Tumblr offers interchangeable themes, backgrounds and music.

Tumblr also gives its users the freedom to post what’s on their minds without the 140 character limit like Twitter.

The blog site receives traffic of 2 million posts and 15,000 new users daily, according to Tumblr’s FAQs.

When students first start using Tumblr, they will notice that it has a more restriction-free vibe. Blogs are usually very expressive and personal which makes Tumblr a great place to just let loose.

Many high school students use Tumblr as a social networking site like Facebook, or to find and discover people with similar lives and interests.

Sophomore Allison Poyer has been a Tumblr user for almost a year and loves everything about it.

“I’m logged in all day, every day, 24 hours a day,” said Allison. “I’m able to blog pictures, outfits I put together that I have friends model for me, and blog about my day.”

Tumblr offers a site full of virtual memes or items of pop culture spread via word of mouth or virtual text. This could act as free advertisement for big companies such as “Stussy” and “The Hundreds,” as well as small internet startup companies such as “Hella NorCal” that sells crewnecks, V-necks, and stickers that represent Northern Californian Pride.

Senior Nicole Mapa said she uses Tumblr as a fashion source.

“I follow blogs about friends, shoes, food and fashion,” Nicole said. “It’s a good way to express yourself and share your interests.”

Tumblr is also used as an art gallery to post paintings, photos, poems, short stories, and inspirational words for the millions of Tumblr bloggers to see, like, and reblog.

Junior Gabe Nguyen, user since December 2009,  has made Tumblr his favorite Web site.

“I follow a lot of people but I mainly read posts on ‘-eloquence’ by Y-Lai Le,” said Gabe.

Y-Lai Le, the author of the Tumblr blog ‘-eloquence’, is one of the many popular Bay Area bloggers to whom many people read, reblog, and relate.

Tumblr is even mobile accessible with apps on iPhones and Android phones. These apps allow users to do everything from calling in to post to IMing a post through their AIM to even tweeting what’s on their minds from Twitter.

Whether used for social networking, to show off a new outfit, or to vent about life’s ups and downs, Tumblr has much to offer for its user through writing, pictures, songs, and quotes.

Tumblr is not only a blog site. It has become a way of life for many students.