Hello everyone and Happy New Year. Here is my short video summary of 2020, a year that I have plenty to say about.

But instead of rehashing the obvious, the pandemic definitely affected the game-plan I had going into 2020. It included plenty of traveling, meeting up with foreign people in Stockholm, and also exploring more of Sweden itself. Going into 2021 seems a bit clearer, with a possible vaccination cleared during the summer which will hopefully open up for travels in late summer. But it also sets a form of timeline leading up to that.

Even though I’ve been doing Swedish videos with dual Swedish/English subtitles lately, I am also looking at other possible formats. One of these, even though it probably will not be part of TheSwedishLad youtube channel, is a different approach to online video.

For over 22 years (13 years on youtube) I have explored this creativity as a hobby. I’ve also worked with it professionally since 2011 as a producer, social media manager, and lecturer, but a third leg that has not been as evident on youtube is my academic approach. My Bachelor’s essay in 2008 was on citizen journalism based on the usage of camera phones and how mainstream media started utilizing it. My 2010 master’s degree focused on online identity creation through the connectivity of social media platforms.

My MA essay with a touch of Queen in the title.

In 2017, by word of mouth, I came in contact with Dr. Crystal Abidin from Australia who at the time was stationed in Sweden to study influencers in the Nordics. A very good talk led to a renewed interest in me to once again think of the online video presence from an academic standpoint. During 2020 I wrote a few scripts for videos based on my MA essay, which I plan to start producing this year.

Dr. Abidin and I at Bröd & Salt in 2018

In the coming days I will workshop the near and far future and figure out which formats I want to pursue. Even though I’ve been doing this for quite a few years, I am still very curious to try out new things to keep myself inspired and creative.

The road goes ever on.