For years, Twitter was my digital campfire — a place to think aloud, learn from others, and occasionally scream into the void with like-minded people. But lately, it’s felt more like shouting through a broken megaphone in a shopping centre: noisy, erratic, and increasingly pay-to-play. Between algorithmic chaos and premium-boosting nonsense, I found myself scrolling more and enjoying it less.

I’d been keeping one eye on alternatives — yes, I have a Bluesky account, and it’s… fine? — but nothing quite stuck. Until Mastodon.

💜 A Very Pleasant Surprise

I honestly didn’t expect to love Mastodon. But within 24 hours of joining, I felt like I’d stepped into a time machine — in the best way.

Mastodon reminds me of the golden age of the web: small interactions, genuine conversations, and communities that feel like communities again. People still say “hi.” They favourite your blog post not to game a feed, but because it meant something to them. It’s slower. Quieter. Kinder.

And then I discovered the advanced web interface — oh yes. Like the best third-party Twitter clients of days gone by, but built-in. Multi-column views, real-time updates, and a sense of control I’d sorely missed.

🔧 Self-Hosting Joy

Of course, I went the self-hosted route — I wanted full control over my data, my theme, and the experience. And I’m so glad I did.

I run my instance at mastodon.laurahargreaves.com, with a custom dark rose theme that matches the rest of my digital world. The process was a little fiddly (thank you, Docker), but totally worth it for the sense of ownership. It’s my space, my vibe, my rules.

I’ve already had a few lovely replies, picked up a handful of followers, and even a fave or two. It’s giving… 2008 energy. And honestly? That’s all I’ve been craving.

🚀 Want to Try Mastodon?

If you’re Mastodon-curious, there are two great ways to dive in:

🏠 Join an existing server

Just head to joinmastodon.org and pick a server that suits your vibe — or go with the official one at mastodon.social. You can follow anyone across the whole network, regardless of which server you’re on.

🛠️ Feeling techy? Host your own!

If you’d rather build your own corner of the fediverse (like I did), you can follow the official self-hosting guide here:
👉 github.com/mastodon/mastodon

Tip: if you’re already comfortable with Docker, it’s pretty straightforward. And yes, you can point it at your own domain and fully theme it to your heart’s content.

🧭 Closing Thoughts

Mastodon isn’t just a Twitter alternative — it’s a return to what made the web feel human. Less algorithm, more intention. Less noise, more meaning. Whether you join a community or build your own, I think you might be surprised — like I was — by how right it feels.

If you're already on there, come say hi:
🐘 @laura@laurahargreaves.com

And if you're not yet… maybe now's the time? 🌸