When I first joined Steemit, I really didn't know what to expect. The idea of cryptocurrency was new to me and I didn't have much experience with blogging. But it was my husband who convinced me to sign up. And I'm so glad I did! I've learned a lot about Steemit in the few months that I've been active and I hope to share some of those insights here.

First things first

Let me introduce myself. I'm Helen, though most refer to me by my username @helenoftroy. If you join, your username will be the most important name you ever choose! You may be tempted to just grab your old AIM name (like I did, sigh) or your gaming handle, but depending on what it is, you may want to think again. More on this later. For now, I'll let other Steemians tell you about how they chose their usernames: https://steemit.com/trending/steemitnamechallenge

The basics

According to the Steem whitepaper, Steem is: > An incentivized, blockchain-based, public content platform.
It is also "the first cryptocurrency that attempts to accurately and transparently reward an unbounded number of individuals who make subjective contributions to its community." In more layman terms, account holders on Steemit have a blog where they create content. This content is rewarded by other users who "upvote" the content with Steem (in the form of Steem Power or Steem Backed Dollars). The author of the content receives 75% of the total Steem earned while those who upvoted the content share the remaining 25%.

As the Steemit community continues to develop, the types of content are expanding as well. Vlogs, books, memes, and live streams can be posted and rewarded through various Steem-based platforms.

Who uses Steemit

Steemers, Steemies, Steem peeps ... I saw a lot of different names for the users of Steemit when I first joined. However, I find that they're mostly referred to as "Steemians" these days. So who are these Steemians? As you get to know them, you'll find that Steemians are blockchain enthusiasts, cryptocurrency experts, professional bloggers, stay-at-home moms, entrepreneurs ... the list goes on. With such a huge diversity of people, what is it that brings them all together? In general, Steemians are people who see a future in blockchain technology and want to be involved in a community that supports it. But a majority of them are more than just involved. It won't take long to realize that many Steemians are using the platform to give back to their communities.

What's the best thing about Steemit?

One of the things I love most about Steemit is the ability to interact with people from the around the world and participate in the things they're doing for their communities.

For example, through Steemit @aydayodeji raised funds for his [village that was battling malaria](https://steemit.com/charity/@aydayodeji/taking-a-step-to-changing-lives) so he could create a proper drainage system. In [this post](https://steemit.com/youarehope/@bigdude/youarehope-foundation-changing-lives-in-venezuela), @bigdude shares how he's been able to buy much-needed resources for children in Venezuela. Groups like @familyprotection and @youarehope utilize Steem to make positive changes. @familyprotection is a community that [raises awareness for and provides funds to](https://steemit.com/familyprotection/@markwhittam/before-using-the-familyprotection-tag-please-read-this) families under attack from government authorities. @youarehope recently shared an [overview of some of the projects](https://steemit.com/youarehope/@youarehope/2vla4f-youarehope-thankful-thursday-donor-report) they support. And then there are individuals whose lives have been impacted by Steemit. Sometimes it's the encouragement that comes from knowing others who are or have been in similar situations. Other times, it's gaining insights into things that are happening in the world that you might not have known about. Like these [updates of events happening in Nicaragua](https://steemit.com/story-mentor/@cecicastor/nicaragua-update-5-may-9th-2018) When I created my Steemit account and picked my username, I didn't think much of it. But since then, I've come to realize that being here means I'm part of something that is making a difference.

Will Steemit change the world?

Transparency and decentralization are words that translate into individual responsibility. And you'll find many Steemians who take that responsibility seriously by actively seeking to help others. If, like the rest of us, you believe blockchain technology will have its place in the future, then joining Steemit is a logical step. It's a place where you can see practical applications of the blockchain affecting real-world communities and individual lives. By becoming a Steemian and joining the Steemit community, you'll get to take part in changing the world. (Which is probably why it's a good idea to think carefully about your username ... you never know when the world will come to know you by it!)

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