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About
About
Welcome to my Humanities Core website! I'm Lily, and I'm thrilled to have you join me on this journey. The theme for this UC Irvine's Humanities Core cycle is Worldbuilding. Over the year, I’ll dive into new texts, explore diverse ideologies, and examine the art and science of shaping both literal and figurative worlds. This site will serve as a personal archive—a multimedia collection showcasing the many worlds I encounter, analyze, and interpret.
Through reflections, discussions, and creative expression, I aim to construct a unique intellectual space here. My hope is that this site becomes a world of its own—a place where ideas converge, perspectives expand, and a community of inquiry takes shape. Thank you for being part of this exploration into the foundations of worlds, both real and imagined. Let’s embark on this journey of discovery together!
Building our Worlds
Building our Worlds
Worldbuilding is a concept often associated with the realms of fantasy and science fiction, yet it is a practice embedded in daily life. While authors and creators construct entire universes for readers or viewers, we too, as individuals, continuously build worlds—through the stories we tell ourselves, the environments we shape, and the cultures we partake in. Far from being limited to novels or films, worldbuilding is ubiquitous and accessible, engaging anyone who dares to imagine beyond the present moment.
At its essence, worldbuilding is about creating meaning and structure where none may inherently exist. As we go about our daily lives, we make decisions that reflect our values and aspirations, subtly crafting our immediate surroundings into reflections of who we are and who we wish to become. The way we decorate our homes, the media we consume, and the traditions we uphold are all forms of worldbuilding that shape our personal reality. Even social media, where we curate aesthetic boards or share life’s highlights, is a means of constructing a unique identity and perspective, subtly influencing the virtual world others experience when they interact with us.
For me, worldbuilding is not just an abstract concept but an essential part of how I engage with the world. It’s a process that comes alive through everything I love to do: running, watching movies, reading, writing, spending time with loved ones, playing board games, and more. Each of these activities offers me a unique way to build and explore new dimensions of experience.
Running, for example, transforms my surroundings into a living landscape that’s constantly changing with the weather, the light, and the seasons. Each run becomes a small, personal journey, shaping my sense of the world and my place within it. Movies and books open up other worlds to me, inviting me to step into the lives and experiences of people I might never otherwise encounter. They give me tools and perspectives that help me understand how different worlds can be imagined and understood, enriching my sense of what is possible.
Writing, in particular, allows me to actively build worlds. Whether I’m creating a fictional story or reflecting on my life, writing is a space where I can shape thoughts, feelings, and ideas into something coherent and meaningful. Board games, too, create worlds within their rules and strategies, allowing me to share in a story with friends and loved ones, where the thrill of collaboration and competition brings us closer together.
Spending time with loved ones is perhaps the most important worldbuilding of all, creating a shared space of laughter, trust, and connection. These relationships form the foundation of my world, providing a sense of belonging and grounding me in the real and tangible. And engaging with the world in all these ways allows me to see that worldbuilding isn’t just about fantasy; it’s about constructing meaning, relationships, and memories in the real world.
In every one of these experiences, I am constantly weaving together ideas, emotions, and moments to build a life that feels whole and meaningful. Worldbuilding, then, is not confined to fiction—it is the way we all create purpose and perspective in our lives. It’s an act of imagination that keeps us engaged, connected, and continually discovering new possibilities in the world around us.
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