How This Teen Uses Video Games As A Form Of Self-Care 🎮
Plus: Fairy grunge and thrifting tips 🧚
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Bloomer in the Spotlight 🌼
Meet Fionna, a 19-year-old Canadian whose hobbies include video games, thrifting, and hanging out with her (extremely cute) rabbits.
Born in the Philippines, Fionna’s currently a college freshman studying pharmacy in Vancouver. Below, we chat about her fairy grunge style, her best thrifting tips, and finding comfort in playing video games.
What do you love most about where you live?
Definitely the mountains and nature in general. The mountains are green all the time. When it’s winter, we get snow so it’s all white. The trees and the leaves almost make it look like a haunted graveyard. My favorite is especially when it’s autumn because you can literally watch the mountains go from golden to orange to brown. It’s such a pretty transition.
My bear and bobcat neighbors are sometimes out and about. If I ever have my window open to let some air in during early summer, sometimes you can hear tiny bears come to your driveway and look through your trash.
You have such great style. How would you describe it?
Definitely what I’m going for is a mix between earthy neutrals and grunge. Some people call it “fairy grunge” and I love that. I think it’s beautiful. I get my inspiration from both of my parents but definitely my dad. The type of music he would listen to when I was growing up in the Philippines in the car to even here in Canada––he always listened to grunge, punk, even new metal. I was like, that’s my vibe.
I know you like thrifting. What’s your strategy?
Usually when I go thrifting it’s with my parents because they like collecting antiques. I shop for the clothes, they go for the items. It works for the both of us.
For thrifting tips: Be prepared to be there for a long time. You won’t really find something unless you’re putting the time into it. Also, check all the sections––men’s, women’s, kids’, even! If you go into the bigger sizes of the kids’ section, you’ll sometimes find something. Like, this could make a really cute crop top.
I have this one tip when it comes to jeans: Use your hand as a ruler. If you want high-waisted, make sure that the fly of the zipper is as long as your hand if not a little bit longer. If you want a low-waist, use your thumb.
What are some of your favorite brands?
There’s Minga London––love them. They literally have a collection for every single style out there that you could want. You can mix and match. For boots, I love Demonia. They’re such a statement piece and they make you feel so confident. I’m not very tall, I’m only 5’2––my mom’s 5’1 and my dad’s 5’5. When I wear Demonias, I tower over them and I think it’s so funny.
For makeup, ColourPop is amazing. It’s affordable and insanely good quality. Same with e.l.f. That’s stuff you can find at your local drugstore and it’s so good if you know what you’re looking for. And it doesn’t hurt your wallet.
I don’t own a piece from them yet, hopefully soon, but it’s Tripp NYC. They’re very, very into goth and the rage scene. They have amazing statement pieces, especially their bottoms. They’re gorgeous.
What kinds of trends do you forecast for this year?
I’m thinking a cyber Y2K vibe. I’m seeing it on the rise, but I just want more people to get into it. I think it looks great on everyone. It’s almost cyborg-ish. It’s not full-on robot, but I’ve seen these headphones and they have these cute almost like antennas. You look like a cute little robot. It’s adorable.
I also think a big part of cyber-type vibes is cyber sigil. I just love the type of design that it’s going for. People will get cyber sigil tattoos. The easiest way for me to describe it is like, Grimes [laughs]. Her look, her tattoos. I love seeing the mix of early 2000s CDs and like, your old iPod with the chunky headphones––that type of vibe. Chrome and shiny and space-y. Futuristic.
What’s something you do to decompress?
Definitely playing video games––that’s my hobby. I play with my rabbits. I give them treats. I try to teach them tricks even if they don’t listen to me at all [laughs].
When did you first get into video games?
Back in the Philippines, my uncle––my dad’s youngest brother––was always really into video games. My earliest memories from the Philippines are watching him play on our really old PS1 or PS2. He sparked my interest and when we moved to Canada, my parents had friends over here who had a Wii. I thought it was the most fascinating thing because the control was separate from the console. I was like, I love this, I want this. Then for Christmas the following year I got a Wii. Even to this day, when I think about video games I think about my uncle because he was the one who really kickstarted my interest. Without him, this wouldn’t be a hobby that I enjoy now.
Video games are for everyone. There’s a genre for everyone. It’s a great form of escapism. If you feel stressed from life or what’s going on in the real world, you can indulge yourself in a story like a fictional character. You can play out their life and make choices. You’re allowed to make terrible choices because you can just “save” [laughs].
There’s also a sense of nostalgia when you’re playing video games. There was a period of time in my early teens where I fell out of gaming for a little bit because my focus was on my grades and getting into high school. Because video games are so expensive, I couldn’t get all the new stuff I was interested in. So I either replayed the same game over and over again and got bored of it or I’d do something else like schoolwork. When I indulge myself in video games now, it’s like treating myself or treating my inner child. I get this sense of joy that I felt when I was a lot younger.
What game would you recommend to a beginner?
Stardew Valley. It’s a pixelated game and really easy to run on any system. It’s a farming simulator as well as a life-type simulator. The story is that you inherit this farm from your grandpa and next door is this town with NPCs [non-player characters] you can talk to. You can build a reputation and relationships with them. Depending on your relationships and choices, how you decide to play affects what happens. This is one of the reasons why I love video games: It can be as simple as a pixel game and yet the story feels like you’re reading a really intriguing novel, like, “Oh my god, what’s gonna happen next?”
There are some inconveniences to being a woman in the gaming community. Too often, I’ve been brushed off and not taken seriously by men who game and I never really understood why. For example, I’ve had men tell me that I’m not playing “real video games” just because I wasn’t playing something as competitive and intense as they were, which doesn’t really make any sense to me! Like, it’s a game on a screen. Is that not a video game? Fortunately, not everyone is like that. You can meet some wonderful people through gaming, and sometimes you’ll end up with a good friend or two to slay some monsters with!
I grew up around gaming, and I’m very passionate about it. I believe they are for anyone, no matter the age or gender, and there is a genre out there for everyone to enjoy.
Tell me about your rabbits.
My first rabbit, the gray one, he’s a Holland Lop. His name is Poru, which is really a simplified, over-cutesified version of one of my favorite anime characters. I literally got him right before COVID exploded and I’m just so happy that I did.
I know there’s a big problem with rescues around the world, but especially in North America, where a lot of shelters are overflowing with rabbits because unfortunately, people don’t realize it’s such a commitment to have one. They can live for up to 10 years. A lot of people get rabbits for their kids expecting it to be like a gift for Easter, but it’s a lifelong commitment. So a lot of rabbits end up in shelters. I really wanted to rescue so I looked around rescues in my area and saw my little girl, Wednesday. The rescue picked the name but I didn’t want to change it. I was like, “That’s cute enough. That’s amazing.”
She’s extremely cuddly. My gray Holland Lop––he’s more of the playful, devious type. He’s not very cuddly but he’s very sweet.
What’s something you’re looking forward to this year?
For my birthday in November I’m hoping to go to Europe. I’ve always wanted to see the old architecture, the food. This is also kind of niche, but the trains! They have such an intricate train system. They can literally go from England to France. Apparently, it’s a tunnel under the ocean. That’s insane.
Is there anywhere specific in Europe that you’re especially excited about?
Venice. I want to see London. No offense to people from England, but their weather and the weather we have in Vancouver is very, very similar. When I say I want to go to England, a lot of my Canadian friends are like, “Why? It’s the exact same thing.” But trains, man.
A few of Fionna’s favorite things:
The sun setting early. It’s seen as a minor inconvenience for a lot of people, but as an introvert and a night owl I absolutely THRIVE when it’s dark outside. It’s one of the many reasons why I love winter so much. I’m very much not a summer person, and I despise the sun. It’s a bit ironic considering I was born in such a sunny, tropical place but I enjoy living life like a vampire.
Plushie Dreadfuls from Mysterious Brand. I discovered them sometime mid 2021, and I’ve adored them since. They’re these creepy, cute rabbit plushies that have themed designs. Their latest release is their Zodiac rabbits, I believe. Right now, I have the Anxiety rabbit and the Sleep Paralysis rabbit, and I love them to bits. Definitely not for everyone, some find them unsettling, but if you like creepy things they’re definitely worth checking out!
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. I know, it’s super nerdy. My friend got me to try Warhammer’s second Vermintide game, and I had so much fun with it that they convinced me into getting the latest Warhammer game, Darktide. The soundtrack is amazing, I feel like I can take on the world whenever the background music kicks up. Because of that, I found myself reading into Warhammer lore and I’ve fallen into a rabbit hole I can’t get out of. The amount of lore is colossal, and I’m a sucker for world-building!
Beaded necklaces. I love, love, love beaded necklaces, especially ones with little charms. It’s like wearing art around your neck. I follow a bunch of small businesses on Etsy that create and sell them, and my favorites at the moment are tarcinshands and OpisDesign.
Demonia Boots. I swear I have an addiction to them. They complete the grungy, Bratz: Rock Angelz fantasy I was going for when I was a little girl, which I often got picked on for growing up because it was seen as weird and “edgy.” Wearing the boots I have is such a confidence booster! I remember being little and wanting to be as cool as the Bratz girls were, and now I feel like I’ve achieved that dream!
tysm, Fionna! 🌼
Beyond the Algorithm 🔮
Here are 5 things I’m into right now:
1. Vaseline Lip Therapy Original Lipstick. It’s Vaseline! As a lipstick! It’s so much nicer to smear this stuff on your lips without having to stick your fingers in a container. S/O to my mom for letting me steal hers over the holidays.
2. Cocofloss. I am trying to be a person who flosses more. I bought a variety pack of this fun-flavored dental floss. The taste is surprisingly subtle! Am I more incentivized to floss? Not really. But it’s fun to mix things up.
3. lostjcrew. A nostalgic Instagram account dedicated to vintage J.Crew.
4. Peppermint tea. I am not a Tea Person but I am a Gal with Frequent Tummy Troubles™. A few times a week I’ve been making myself a mug of this. It’s peppermint-y but not too peppermint-y. You don’t feel like you’re drinking a mug of melted candy canes.
5. Pamela, A Love Story. Beyond this being an intimate documentary about a woman taking her power back, it’s also a film that highlights Anderson’s humor and her sweet relationship with her sons. A must-watch, imo.
ICYMI 🗞
I loved this op-ed by Jessica Bennett on the subtle role lip gloss plays in relationships between teenage girls.
Rainesford Stauffer’s brief but spectacular take on rethinking ambition.
The oh-so popular Mara Hoffman popcorn dress.
In the meantime…
I want to see Aftersun and The Banshees of Inisherin but fear I am too emotionally fragile? Will they destroy me? Speaking of Awards Season, we must protect these two at all costs:
And here’s a song to get ya through the week:
P.S. We wanna hear from you! 🐌
Want to nominate a friend (or yourself!) for “Bloomer in the Spotlight”? Got a brilliant recommendation for “Beyond the Algorithm” or just wanna say hey?
Get in touch at latebloomernewsletter@gmail.com 💘