How has the fandom make your life better?

[Valerion]

There's a lot of negativity in life, and usually people only complain, they rarely give compliments. This is a big issue in Customer Service. On here we have a whole section dedicated to fur wanting to Vent and needing Support.

My challenge: Post something here, where being a member of the fandom, or a specific fur have made your life better, or influenced you in a positive way. Or anything related, as long as it is positive. No need to mention names if you don't feel comfortable with that.

[Adagio]

We have a thread like this...

But a reboot is good in my opinion.

I never had many friends due to being home schooled.
I never developed the people skills and things I needed for normal conversation.
Even online, for the longest time, I was shy and withdrawn.

The forums taught me these skills. So much so, that I am able to apply them to the real world too!
I fit in better to society since I came here.
I went from having one friend, to having so many I can't even keep up.

That being said.
One person, that made my life significantly better.
Tocs. I'm speaking to you! I told you! My first son, daughter! I'm naming him/her after you!
Buddy, you saved my life. But you did so much more than that... You showed me who I am, and what I can be.
It's because of you, that I am here today, sporting a purple name tag, reaching out to people...

After meeting you. I met so many amazing, wonderful people.
Tocs. You are my hero!

Anoyo. Val, Rakuen...
You guys made this forum for one reason. Bringing people together.
And I think, you have succeeded!
For one. You brought me closer to my best friends. And my new family.
I want to say. Thank you!
If it weren't for you guys. My life would have sucked.

[Tocs]

Ah gosh where do I even begin really? There is so much I want to say I won't be able to fit it all in so I'll try summarise.

I guess I should really start in the beginning, coming into the fandom, I was a lot more shy than I am now, really socially awkward, and in fact terrified to talk to any of you, I was afraid of being rejected really like I have been before... but as soon as I started getting into things, I feel that all of you have touched my heart in a really special way. I in a way felt like I belonged in a place for a change, and it was the first time ever I felt that way. From all the comments I received and support over some vents, I learned to love myself more, and be more confident in my ability to do things and to really express how I feel about things, which again, in the past I was way too scared do so in the past. And I genuinely began to see you all as not friends, but more like a family, and I still see most of you as family today, like I said before, you all have no idea how appreciative I am from the impacts you've made in my life, they have been monumental and I will just forever love the fandom.

You guys have helped me through so much in the small time I've been here, from my first real date with a guy with neon which I will still remember for a very long time, to staying up late late into the night chatting to adagio over the phone and having many heart to heart moments with everyone, I've just learned a lot about of I feel about a whole bunch of things and I feel like my life skills and interactional skills and my emotions and just everything have been improved since I joined the community. And when I was appointed as a community representative I was simply shocked if anything haha, I really didn't believe that people liked me that much and it was such a huge confident booster and simply made me happy. I am so proud to be a cr, I really am, and I will still keep trying to do my best in the position and just try show as much love to everyone in the community than that I feel I have received from it.

Adagio, you of all people have made me feel so freaking special, you have probably flung more compliments at me than every single other person combined (and I was dating rocket for 8 months :p). You really showed I can make a difference in someone's life and I will always see you like a big brother. I cherish everything that you've done for me and I am just so lucky to have met you during this process. You have an enormous heart and I just wanna say thank you for everything you've done for me.

Then there is rocket, gosh wow how can I describe our 8 months together without just looking back and feeling blessed to have gone through it all.. It was the first time I've ever felt true love.. and well, to have that feeling, is just simply amazing.. you have helped me through so much in my life, and have made me grow so so much.. you've made me feel special, and helped me come out to friends, parents, family.. and well, let's just say ever since I've met you my life has improved so so much, to the point that a year ago, if you were to tell me that I am how I am now, I wouldn't believe you at all. And even though that love didn't last, I still regard you as an amazing friend, and I will keep on cherishing every moment, we were excellent and I've grown so much from the relationship we had.

I think one of the main reasons why I am so invested into the community is because I know all the things that all you guys have done for me, and despite me not being able to name every single one because they are rather personal to me, I just want to be able to try give it back to all you guys because you deserve no less, and I wanna be able to show the same amount of love I feel you all gave to me but 10 fold haha. You're all amazing and I love you all. I feel at home with everyone I really do. And I really couldn't have asked for something more amazing to happen to my life than you guys.

Sorry if grammar is all over the place, I kinda got emotional typing this because of how happy I am haha

[Randall]

Short answer: friendships, ones that suit me I.e. Like-minded intelligent people

[Cape_F0X]

I found friendliness and creativity you wouldn't get anywhere else.

[Sev]

The fandom giveth, and the fandom taketh away.

Everything that this fandom has given me is a thing of the past. It was good while it lasted.

I'm just here for the memories.

[Randall]

I beg to differ Sev
The fandom gives and gives to me. I choose to be an active participant, a catalyst for healing in tough waters of wounds and rifts.

[Sev]

I beg to differ Sev
The fandom gives and gives to me. I choose to be an active participant, a catalyst for healing in tough waters of wounds and rifts.

"Your mileage may vary."

For some people, the fandom has been an unequivocally good thing. That has not been my experience of it.

That being said, I'm glad that it has had such a positive impact on Tocs's life - he honestly deserves it.

[Galahad]

Considering the topic's question is "how has the fandom make [sic] your life better?", I would imagine this primarily revolves around those with positive experiences to share.

I am still a relatively new member here, and so I do not have a wealth of experience to recount. Nonetheless, the friendships I have made here have been nothing short of rewarding and inspiring: with Adagio, Raven, Cape, Tocs, Ryall, Sev, Leeward, Brutallis, just to name a few. I hope the list will not end there, as there are others whom I would love to befriend fully.

[Faanvolla]

Met most of the people I'd consider friends on here, plus my boyfriend from another country, where I now live.
The fandom also helped me with my sexual orientation issues, and some other stuff I had struggles with.
Would recommend, 9/10.

[Neon]

I'm here for the company really.
And since I've joined I've met a whole lot of nutcases who I can call my friends.
So that's pretty cool.
GGWP ZAFur

[Ivic_Wulfe]

I guess I could weigh in here, had it not been for the fandom to turn to on a social level after moving up to Gauteng and a variety of other things happening in my life at the time, I'd probably have been a drunk on the streets. I don't necessarily make friends as easily as I'd like when there's no common ground.

I'd have attempted to find my way around the province on a bar by bar basis since it was the only way I knew how to socialize. The fandom brought me hope that there were people I could enjoy being around and it has been delivering in spades. A lot of my life and personal work outside of my work goes into finding a way to connect us as much as possible, to have a South African voice in the throng of North American and European ones. This is mostly because I feel I want to give back to the community what I have inadvertently found within it, purpose and a sense of belonging.

I feel optimistic whenever I do something for the community and feel like I'm achieving in one way or another. My life is one of two halves. I go to work and I'm a lecturer with a purpose to educate the world and this country in whatever way I'm called, however at home I want to connect and help there too. I constantly want to do more and sometimes miss lofty goals I set to achieve in my personal life. But luckily both my job and my personal projects give me enough purpose to continue working for what I wish to achieve and I have the community that we share to thank for that.

[Splicer-Fox]

Its a distraction.

You get to meet people and behave differently.

[Randall]

OK here is how it is.
Until I found the forum, I felt that I didn't fit in anywhere. I mean, let's get real, I am so unwanted on some other forums they go to the greatest length to keep me an unperson. Blocking my SIM card from accessing their site... o.o

And this is why I acted up thrice. Because I was expecting the usual inevitable thing to happen. And by the third time, when nothing happened, and people just took me back that is when the coin dropped for me.

This is not an abstract love, but a love of people, especially furries. Despite my flawed, and fucked up personality people actually like me here and stick with me despite me fucking up and being down and out. The two people I admire most are Leeward and Adagio. Both of them made me realise my approach to my working career is wrong. I will, of course reveal all, if and when it happens.

But yes, I am stone broke, I lost my house, got nothing except my shirt on my back and my toys, and of course my family. Yet despite all of this, things move forward here.

I do not buy into Sev's assertion that "mileage will vary" Sorry Sev, there's no mileage here. This is not a car or a vehicle, although one could say this is a type of ride.

This is why I am now spearheading and coming up with community projects. I am sponsoring at least one fur, a very miniscule contribution to pay for his website hosting, but hell its the least I can do.

[Sev]

I would like to recant my earlier posts.

Truly, some of you guys are just incredible.

Special shout out to our CR's. You guys keep doing what you're doing.