DALLAS — When it comes to things to do in Dallas, you always want to be informed. That’s why Courtney Stensland loves running her Instagram, @stensinthecity, a blog that showcases Dallas hotspots.
"One day I was laying in bed probably at midnight and I was like I’m gonna start it,” Stensland said. "Vulnerability 2019, I have to do it.”
For her, a weekend looks like capturing pics, videos and scenery of the attraction she loves and wants to share with her social media community.
“People don’t understand how hard it is because you’re not only going to the restaurant and not caring what people think,” Stensland continued, “you're editing photos and videos when you’re supposed to be in the moment, especially if it’s something happening right then. You’re doing all this stuff people don’t see. This is not only my full-time job, but not my only side hustle.”
With a degree in public relations from the University of Oklahoma (OU), Stensland has a full-time job in addition to other side hustles beyond her social blog. This makes any amount of free time, weekends and evenings, jam-packed with grabbing content for her social.
While her days are busy doing try on hauls, visiting restaurants and showcasing the biggest Dallas events, her priority is to help the Dallas community.
“Being from Dallas, I feel a lot of people who don’t live here aren’t from here. So, I really wanted to give people a genuine vibe of the city,” Stensland said.
But it’s much more than just posting fun things to do. She strives to build a community with a goal of looking out and loving others. Stensland's priority is to educate and promote safety. During COVID, she was quick with updates of locations open for testing with a goal of keeping Dallas residents safe.
“I was just posting COVID testing sites. I just thought this was so important because I wanted a one stop shop to find information and there wasn’t a place available anywhere else,” said Stensland.
She’s been running her blog for over two years and has plans to do much more — with a continued goal to create, explore and bring joy to the people of Dallas.