Make a Virtual Diary
Have you ever made a diary that was quickly stolen by your annoying siblings? Worry no more, because now you can create a virtual diary! No one will ever know about it because it will just look like you're on the computer.
Steps
- Open up a Word document. Before you start, click "File" and "Save As" and name your file something like, "Science Project", or "Flash Cards". This way, no one will be interested if they happen to be snooping through your computer files. Make sure that you give it the most boring name possible so no one is likely to click on it. Don't put something like "Nunya" or "Keep Out".
- Make a cover for your virtual diary. You don't even need a camera! You can just upload an image of a notebook on to your computer and type in your name where the lines are. Most painting programs have a "blend" feature. Simply highlight your typed in name, and blend it in. This will make it seem as if you really wrote it in. For instance, the picture to the right used to just be an image of a blank notebook. With a little blending, you can make it look like you wrote your name in and coloured in the letters. Also consider uploading pictures of stickers and "sticking" them on to your virtual diary. It will make it look like a real diary!
- Choose a nice font for your writing. Opt for a font that will make it look as if you were writing and not typing. "Bradley Hand ITT-TT" works well for this.
- Start writing! If you're still afraid of unwanted onlookers, consider creating a fake name for you and everyone you write about. You don't even need to use the right town. Just in case someone does accidentally open up your file, they'll assume it's just a story you're writing about. Don't be afraid to stretch the truth a tad. It's your diary, you're allowed to write what you want. If you'd like to put in a picture, upload an image of notebook picture on to your computer, draw what you want, and then blend it until it looks normal.
- Change the name of your document every so often. If you have a sibling who regularly looks at your computer, they may start to wonder why you still have that "Science Project" document from last year, causing them to look at it. If you're known to be organized, consider making a folder that says "Documents 2005-2006", and putting your diary into the folder. This way, people will assume that the folder is loaded with out of date junk that they wouldn't be interested in reading. This is also good if you share a computer.
- Protect it with a password. You can password protect your document by clicking the 'Tools' button at the top of a word document and pressing 'options' and then hitting the 'security' tab. Type in a password to use when opening the file. And one if you need to modify the file. Press okay and confirm the password. Every time you open the document you will have to enter a password.
Tips
- If you forget your password you can't open your file. Make sure you write the password down and put it in a safe place.
- If you want to make your "diary" even more hidden, select all the text in it, and change the font to white. Now, the only way to read the text is to select or highlight it.
- Try saving it in a place where nobody would look for it, like one of the folders in Program Files. Just be sure that you will not disrupt the program's functionality by doing so!
- Don't let anyone know you have a diary.
- Make sure the name is something no one would be interested in.
Warnings
- Make sure your parents allow you to have a password. Some parents love to snoop to make sure you don't do inappropriate things. Name it something nonchalant.
- No matter how carefully you take care of it, your diary might get read. Make sure that you are prepared for that, because sometimes it can be tough.
- Make sure that you have an anti-virus program so that it is impossible for anyone to hack into your diary.
- If your diary does get read, make sure that you are polite to whoever read it. It's better to get in trouble for what you wrote in an obviously private diary, then to get in trouble for that, and being rude.
Things You'll Need
- A computer
- Word document (or a different program that you can put text in)
