by Shawna Blake

Created on: December 24, 2008   Last Updated: November 30, 2009

With the ease and variety of websites out there, one could choose several sites that they consider to be 'the best'. The broad scope of the internet allows us to conduct research, play games, shop, read, write, surf, keep in contact with people that we love, as well as make new friends and contacts. Experiencing all of the above, one might be hard pressed to name the best site of 2008. Of course, we could study statistics to determine mathematically which site was actually the best of the year. However, I doubt that would matter to most of us. I don't think that I am the only person who considers the best website of 2008 to be Helium. There are many reasons why Helium ranks high above many others as the best of the year. It is one of my favorite websites, and the main reason is because it allows their members so much freedom, while still learning how to express themselves and learn from others.

November marked my one year anniversary here at Helium, and I must say I have grown tremendously as both a writer as well as a reader. I consider my membership with Helium as a journey, with hills and hurdles, but also with a view that is worth all of the hard work that is poured into the site. It is addicting, and if you are a serious writer, it is literally the place to be for various reasons. I visit the site many times a day, and spend close to a third of my weekends writing, rating and participating in all that is Helium. It would be difficult for me to shun the site if even for a few days. What I have gained from Helium would have taken me years to accomplish if I was forced to do it alone. These are the reasons that I love Helium;

~Experience.

As an aspiring writer, I assume that I am all knowing, and quite capable of writing about anything under the sun. With Helium, I am allowed to try my hand at a great number of things. I have written about the life-cycle of a jellyfish, to TV show reviews, to poetry and informative articles. If not for Helium, I may never have studied nor written about the myth of Medusa, for instance. So, I have learned to research (and NOT just on the internet which is so convenient) a subject, then write about it in an interesting, creative and correct manner. I have learned my strengths and my weaknesses and evolved as a writer because Helium allows me the versatility that a beginning writer needs to build a portfolio.

~Recognition.

Thanks to Helium, my name is becoming quite recognized. Of course I am not a star, nor do I expect to become

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