Video by Michael Price / Story by Cameron Woolsey

Fresno State alumna Veronica Stumpf has found a new hobby: blogging about the businesses and sights of Fresno.

Stumpf, a 21-year-old economics graduate, began That Fresno Blog in summer 2011 after she graduated.

“I have this bad habit of keeping myself busy, and I figured the blog would be a good way to keep myself busy as well as a good way to push myself to be more outgoing and to discover Fresno,” she said.

Originally from North Fresno, Stumpf’s venture out into the urban wilderness has yielded new experiences.

“It has led to a lot of discoveries,” she said. “It has led to me meeting a lot of people. I never knew people would have recognized me, nor did I ever know I would be so involved with downtown — so interested in it.”

Before, Stumpf typically only visited downtown Fresno for ArtHop. Her drive to discover the city has made noticeable personal changes.

“It’s made a big impact because I have made so many new friends,” she said. “I’m actually a lot more outgoing. I’m more sociable, so that alone — I like that; it’s good.”

One of the first stories she wrote detailed her visit to the Fulton Mall on a quiet Sunday.

In another early blog post, Stumpf said she and a friend interviewed homeless people.

Stumpf said she gets ideas for stories from paying attention to social media, as well as simply keeping her ears open.

“I think the biggest success in marketing is word-of-mouth in Fresno,” she said. “That’s how I learn about businesses in downtown or in Fresno in general.”

Stumpf says that people who believe that Fresno is not worth exploring, have yet to discover its many gems.

“If you think that Fresno is boring, that there’s nothing to do here, just go to places like Fresno Brewing Company, and you’ll realize it’s a fun place,” she said.

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