Welcome to Late Bloomer, a newsletter and community for teen girls.
Psst… we’re now on Instagram!
Bloomer in the Spotlight 🌼
Meet Amina, a dual-sport athlete and fellow member of the unofficial Timothée Chalamet Fan Club.
Amina is a high school senior from upstate New York, who has an affinity for cooking up new pasta dishes and watching clothing haul videos. Below, we chat about what it’s like to put together a yearbook during a pandemic, VSCO vs. Instagram, and her best pandemic purchases.
Late Bloomer: Walk me through a typical day in the life of Amina.
Amina: It’s definitely really different now because of COVID but in the fall after my classes, I would have volleyball practice, which is really fun. I’ve been playing volleyball since seventh grade and I’ve been able to continue in high school. Unfortunately, our season was halted this year because of COVID but we’re supposed to start in March so I’m very excited about that. In the spring, I play lacrosse––I’m a midfielder. In addition to sports, I’m also one of the co-leaders of my club, Girl Up, which is a campaign with the United Nations. We meet every Wednesday through Zoom. Most of the clubs have died down a bit because it’s challenging for club advisors to help.
I’m also part of yearbook and as a senior, it’s really important to me that it looks good this year. It’s challenging because we don’t have sports or school events going on to take pictures of. But we’ve used creative ways to try and still get our yearbook together. The other week, we had Spirit Week and at the end of class it was like, “OK, if you’re wearing your school colors today, take a quick Zoom picture or if not, you can change super quick because everyone’s home.”
LB: Has the pandemic impacted other parts of your life besides school?
Amina: I have a twin sister and we’ve been able to get closer this year being home and having to rely on each other.
I’ve also been able to explore myself a lot more through this pandemic. I remember in the beginning of March, I got into makeup and doing just a bunch of crazy, fun, different looks. Retail therapy is real [laughs]. That’s definitely gotten me through last March until now, whether it’s trying to find new thrift shops near me when I can go out or mostly online shopping. One of the nice things for me is finding my style. It changed a lot during the pandemic but that’s one of the fun things that I really enjoyed. All of my friends joke, “Next year in college you’re going to look really stylish” because I’m buying all these clothes but I don’t have anywhere to go [laughs]. I think during the pandemic, not just for me but for a lot of young girls, it’s been a good time to explore themselves and figure out what they like and what they want. You sometimes feel a pressure to dress or look a certain way so it’s been really cool to see my friends chopping off their super long hair and totally changing their style like I was.
LB: What’s been your best pandemic purchase?
Amina: One thing I got towards the beginning were AirPods. I used to make fun of people who had them at school, like jokingly, but they’re actually really helpful.
The second thing was that I got a pair of Air Jordans, which are like streetwear-style shoes. I got them in March and I think that’s what helped really change my style and brought me to new world of fashion––just more a more streetwear-baggy-clothes-graphic-tees aesthetic. That shoe purchase really started it all.
LB: What’s bringing you joy right now?
Amina: More recently, it’s a couple different YouTubers that I watch. I like watching clothing hauls and lifestyle vlogs. Music has also helped me get through different moods. It helps me ground myself and feel calm.
The last thing is that I’ve been making cute little edits on selfies or outfit pictures and putting on them Pinterest with fun, colorful backgrounds. I use a site called remove.bg. I’d always use it for making flyers for Girl Up, but then I had the idea, “Why don’t I just use this for people or pictures?” Sometimes I can find the backgrounds on Pinterest––they have these cool, artsy collages. I’ll use that and then go to Instagram and paste them all together. They’re really easy to make and it’s fun.
Oh, and cooking!
LB: What do you like to make?
Amina: It’s kind of cheating, but making pizza out of pita bread. I also like making different kinds of pasta. Yesterday, I made an alfredo with red sauce. It was the first time I made it––I think I found the recipe on TikTok––and it came out really good.
LB: Who are some of your must-follow social media accounts?
Amina: @Fernandaraamirez––she’s a YouTuber on the rise! Her page is filled with so much fashion inspo and it's nice that she is a small creator. She is always giving shopping, style, and life tips.
@Niki––Nikie Demar is a YouTuber who I have been watching since middle school. It has been awesome almost growing with her. Niki has "iconik" style. She is one of the creators that really helped me dip into fashion that is outside of my comfort zone––and I am here for it!
@Nawalsari is a Muslim creator who is redefining modest fashion. As a Muslim-American teenager, exploring the ways modesty and looking fashionable coincide is usually difficult but creators like Nawal are inspirational melting pots.
LB: Do you prefer VSCO or Instagram?
Amina: That’s a tough question. I really enjoy VSCO because I feel like it’s the place to post those kinds of pictures with backgrounds. What I like more about Instagram is just the way that you can connect with people more, whether it’s simply being able to “like” their post or comment. With VSCO, it’s more secretive. Some people don’t link their VSCOs but you can find them through friends of friends if they reshare stuff like that. I definitely think VSCO is more personal in a sense that not only are people posting pictures but they post their feelings and relatable tweets. I also feel like people post more creative, artsy things. People are more honest and real on there. They’ll be like, “haha this didn’t make the ‘gram” and post it on VSCO.
LB: I also feel like the appeal of VSCO is that there are no “likes” so it takes some of the pressure off.
Amina: Yes, for sure. You can “star” things and repub but the nice thing is––let’s say someone has 1,000 repubs on VSCO––I wouldn’t be able to see that. That’s one of the things I really like about that. I know Instagram took away “likes” but for some people, they still have it. For me, the “likes” were taken away but it’ll still say, “your friend liked this and a thousand others.” So you can still kind of see.
LB: That’s so bizarre.
Amina: Yeah, what I don’t like about it is that only some people can. It would be better if it were all the same.
LB: I agree. It should be all or nothing.
Amina: I’ve also been really trying to get into reading. About a month ago, I started a book club that I’m excited about. I read but I don’t love reading and I have a lot of other friends who feel similarly. We’re currently starting Call Me By Your Name. I’m looking forward to not necessarily having a new responsibility but another thing to add to a non-existent routine. Like kind of knowing, “Hey, maybe three days a week at this time I can try and read a couple chapters.” I don’t know much about the book but I’ve heard about the movie. Timothée Chalamet is in it and I love him.
A few of Amina’s favorite things:
Vanessa Nagoya's YouTube channel: Vanessa is an 18-year-old YouTuber who goes to UC Santa Barbara. Her channel ranges from vlogs, clothing hauls, life advice, to college-related content. It is really nice watching college-related vlogs. Vanessa has such a fun vibe and watching her videos genuinely makes me happy and excited for college next year!
My Apple playlist: I have been really into Lana Del Ray recently. I love most of Lana's songs but specifically "Lust for Life" featuring The Weeknd is one of my favorite songs at the moment. If you want a taste of more of the music I listen to, check out my playlist! "atm” (at the moment) is a collection of all of my favorite songs right now. "</3" is more of a chill playlist that has a lot more mellow songs.
Chloe Ting's workouts: I love working out for fun! I have really enjoyed working out, it is nice to designate time during the day to move around. I really enjoy Chloe Ting's workouts. They are short and easy to follow.
Cooking: When I have the time, I really enjoy trying new recipes that are usually healthy. I have yet to make the infamous TikTok feta pasta but I really like making mushroom pizzas, and alfredo/ragu pasta (with mushrooms).
Moesha: When I got my braided bob done, my friend told me I looked like Moesha. I had to watch it to figure out if this was true. Moesha is a sitcom that starred Brandy. It is currently done but it is on Netflix. I love rewarding myself with a couple of episodes every day.
tysm, Amina! 🌼
Beyond the Algorithm 🔮
Like Amina, we’re trying to read more these days as well. (Brit Bennett’s “The Vanishing Half” is next on our list.) So we asked: What’s the last best book you read?
“The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is so well-written and beautiful! It's for the hopeless romantics and my dark academics. Next, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is also an amazing book. I am a very spiritual person and this book has given me so much to think about. It pushed my capacities a lot so I would recommend it to any spiritual person.” ––Madi French, 17
“I have recently been obsessed with The Hardhat Riot by David Paul Kuhn. It is an analysis of law and order politics, the Vietnam War, Nixon's presidency — and ultimately — how the Democratic party lost the white working class. It is incredibly eye-opening how rhetoric and media play an integral role in changing the tides of politics — and how race and class divisions are used to propagate certain political messages. As someone hoping to advance equity in politics, it is interesting to compare the division of the sixties with today and to think about how we can make politics more solutions-oriented and stakeholder driven.“ ––Zoë Jenkins, 17
“My favorite book is Emma by Jane Austen. I love it for many reasons but I particularly love how it defies gender stereotypes.” ––Lilly Trentacosta, 15
“The best book I have read recently is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. It was touching and moving in the best way possible. It depicts the realities of those affected by the Taliban in Afghanistan while humanizing those who have been demonized by the western media. It shows you that Afghanistan is much more than Al-Qaeda and extremist views.
Another one of my recent favorites is Without Apology: The Abortion Struggle Now by Jenny Brown. I have been trying to learn more about abortion and its origins and role in the current world. I have been trying to educate myself on the levels of discourse surrounding this contested topic. I would highly recommend to anyone who is learning about their stance on contentious topics.” ––Khushi Mehta, 21
“The best last book I’ve read is David Walker’s Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World. This was an assigned reading for a class in Black Studies, however it is one of the most influential books I’ve read. Maya Angelou’s quote of “If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going” is important now more than ever, especially in terms of social justice. Knowing where Black intellectuals came from will help me to be a Black intellectual for the future.” ––Kenya Sterns, 19
ICYMI 🗞
A new Gallup poll reveals one in six Gen Z adults identifies as LGBT. 🌈
Starbucks has officially added oat milk to their menu. 🙏🏻
In other food-related news, DIY vegan chicken appears to be the new baked feta pasta. 🐣
YA author Mary H.K. Choi’s brilliant new novel, Yolk, hit shelves yesterday. In an interview with Shondaland, she talks about identity erasure, the magic of New York City, and why she doesn’t stray away from creating complex characters: “Being complicated or flawed doesn’t disqualify you as being the protagonist to your own life.” 🍳
In the meantime… ✨
We’re looking forward to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s sit-down interview with Queen Oprah this Sunday. (The suspense!)
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 burning question for “Plz Advise”? A brilliant recommendation for “Beyond the Algorithm” or an idea for something else?
Get in touch at latebloomernewsletter@gmail.com 💘