How to adjust to the Arena?

[PuddingPie]

hi everyone,
i'm sure nobody remembers me! i made my account and then disappeared for a long time. life got in the way and to be honest? ... i'm a little scared of the Arena.
the thing is, i'm an intermediate collector at best. my collection hardly surpasses ... probably 50 brushables, and not all of them are G1-G3. i don't own any nirvana ponies, i own maybe two considerably rare Ponies, not a single G2 (even though i LOVE them, they're kind of expensive), and i'm very young (16 years). i feel really out of place here, as everyone seems to be extremely experienced. and also an adult. scary stuff.
so, how do i fit in? this and MLPTP are the only Pony collector forums i know. i'd like to be able to make friends and post more here but really i'm not that advanced. i'm really a beginner compared to most of the people on here, i feel like i'l say the wrong thin,g and i feel a little inferior. (i have a TOTAL complex about not having any nirvana ponies. but they're so, so expensive! even if i had a job i'd have to save up.)
what to do?

[CoonhoundBetty]

Maybe you're over thinking it there's something for everyone here. I'm a mom to a 6yo who is obsessed with MLP, not a collector by any means. Just be sure to post and interact, and not worry about it too much. At the basic point, it's a love of ponies we all have in common.

[Bekuno]

It can be kinda nerve-wracking at first, but I agree with Coonhoundbetty, you're overthinking it a bit! I joined the Arena when I was 16 as well, and while most people here are adults that doesn't mean you should fear them! We're all friendly, funny people who share a common interest in ponies.

Having Nirvana ponies does not make you super special in any way. I believe the majority of us don't own a Nirvana at all and even if they do they are likely a more common / cheaper Nirvana. I don't own any Nirvana either! It does not matter what you collect or how much you collect, it doesn't matter if you collect at all actually! If you like ponies then you're in a good place.

It can be kinda overwhelming seeing people with massive collections (I get so jealous!! They're so pretty!!) but if you own one pony or a thousand ponies you're still welcome here. You like to only collect fakies? You're welcome here. You want to only get the rarest of rare? You're welcome here! Don't want to collect at all but just love ponies? You are totally welcome here!!

If you want to be more vocal / comfortable here's a few things I'd suggest:
- Complimenting peoples art or customs
- Looking through brag threads and letting them know you love their new ponies
- Find something in off-topic or the toy box that relates to something you're interested in and discuss it, or make your own topic and find people with similar interests
- Welcoming new members
- Conversing about pony related topics in the corral

Just remember, no one here has a 'better' collection than anyone else. We're here because we love ponies 

[ladybastilla]

Hi PuddingPie! Nice to meet you!

I agree with CoonHoundBetty. You are worrying about this more than you need to. We all do that about something, but becoming aware of it and nipping that habit in the bud can make things a lot less stressful.

I initially joined the Arena back in 2010 to discuss Monster High dolls. I had no interest in ponies at that time--I even grabbed some at a flea market hoping they'd rub off on me but they didn't. I ended up not totally clicking with MH, either, and wound up doing my own thing for years. Fast forward to January of 2015 and I was sending my bf's brother a Pinkie Pie Funko Pop. Well, I had to know what the deal was and why he was into that. (He was 17.)

I got really into FiM and then remembered that I had signed up here years ago. When I came back I still had no ponies. I bought some g4s at the end of February, and then my mom started finding g3s at flea markets, and then I decided I wanted some g1s and I bought two of those.

Nowdays, my primary focus are g1 and g3. I do a lot of swaps here--both pony and non-pony--because I love buying, wrapping, sending, receiving and opening gifts. I chat with the friends I've made about ponies, games, Disney stuff, holidays and any number of other things. While I do collect ponies, I am in absolutely no way an advanced collector. On the other hand, I did spend a good chunk of time learning the history of MLP and learning how to choose good ponies when I exchange with people.

I collect what I like. I've never felt a need to try and "keep up with the Jones'" here in any way. And actually, I'd say my "best" / "most valuable" ponies have either been gifts from friends I've made (Starglow, Cherry Sweet--not sure if she's expensive, but she's from Europe so the odds of me finding her easily would have been slim), or they've been random finds from my mom at the flea market (Plumette, Dewdrop Dazzle).

The Arena is one of the friendliest communities I've ever been part of and I remain here just as much (or likely moreso!) because of the great people than because of a direct tie to MLP. I'd say relax, go at your own pace, and just feel free to join conversations. I've never felt anything but welcome here and I was way more of a noob then what you're describing when I arrived.

I hope that helps. Have a great day!

P.S. No Nirvanas here. I want German Princess Serena (Does she even count? I'm not sure.) but for the most part I've stayed away from really expensive ponies. I want to see where this hobby takes me before I sink big money into a single pony.

[aintnobuffalo]

I have a similar sized collection, with only 4 G1s and the rest are G4s. I find this community a great place! When I first came on, I had a newbie question about the dates on G1s feet, and even though I must have sounded like I've never collected before, the community was great and answered my question with such kindness. I've been other forums before but never on one where everyone has been this nice and accepting. I think anyone with even a mere interest in ponies could find a place among the forum (some of the stories shared are great examples). I came on to learn more about customizing G4, but I've learned so much more than I imagined and expanded my interests in the past year.

[True]

Heck I don't even collect ponies anymore! I originally came here because I did customs (another thing I don't do anymore) Then I got sucked into collecting, My collection never really was big either. But then I made a bunch of friends over time, and even though I don't collect, I like hanging around. so really any sort of collector/artists/or not, can totally find a home here, and I hope you do!

[PuddingPie]

thank you for your kindness everybody! while i'm not sure i'll get over my Nirvana Complex too soon (my goal of owning every variation of Lickety Split is ruining me  ), i'll try and post more. i'll probably post in the off topic threads and maybe in the Toy Box, but i might stick to lurking in the Brag Arena and other more hands-on threads for a while. thank you all very much!

it's just very nerve wracking to be surrounded by so many adults, especially moms. i started out in the Brony community (still go to BronyCon!), so i'm more used to young adult men and teenage girls 

thank you so much!! one more question, and it might sound really stupid ...
what is a Pony swap? when i was in the BJD community, people did swaps where they kept someone else's BJD for aa while and then returned it. is it the same thing? are they fun?

[Sochy]

Hello there! Dont worry, for what I see everybody there is more than welcome. Im 19 years old and I start to collect ponies some months ago! I already have about 50/100 ponies, more of them from G1 and G4. Right now I only have one G2 in reaaaallly bad conditions! Bus I still love her, she is next to my PC 

Im beginner too! English is not even my first lenguage (I speak spanish) so often there are terms or things I dont understand. Is more, I live half world apart that mostly of the rest of the forum (Uruguay, in south america). HEre ponies are not something common and the most one can found are fakies.. 

For the part of the Nirvanas dont worry! Having them or not dont make the collector. If you love your ponies i think you already are one  I have one nirvana that I found in a totally random situation and she ended be my most high-cost ponie on my collection! (She cames in a lot of fakies I buy, imagine my surprise when I found she was an Argie  )

You will know a lot of awesome people here like I do and have a lot of fun, only be yourself 
If you need sombody to talk of whatever here I am, talk is always awsome for me <3

Sorry I ended cheking your DA. I watch you there (My user on DA is Mellise  ) You art is prety cute btw!  I also saw you like Steven Universe? Oh my, I feel like I lost something now they are on hiatus!

I think I go away talking, sorry. But dont worry. Like others said, collect what you like and have fun whit it! 

thank you so much!! one more question, and it might sound really stupid ...
what is a Pony swap? when i was in the BJD community, people did swaps where they kept someone else's BJD for aa while and then returned it. is it the same thing? are they fun?

Not a stupid question! If Im right, swaps is when you do a trade whit sombody. There is usually a topic to chose (Like halloween, or even a collor, like blue and all the things in the package are going to be blue) and if Im right a max cost to spend, like a pony swap of $40 usd. You know some things the other person like and shem some secret gift to them, and them send something for you in return. 

[ladybastilla]

There are generally two types of pony swaps.

(1) Group swaps, where someone hosts the swap and sets a list of criteria people must meet to join. Stuff like post count, length of time as a member, and sales / trade feedback are common. Sometimes people will allow newbie slots in their swap with less heavy requirements to help newer swappers build their reputation as well.

(2) Private swaps where two members of the community agree to exchange things with each other and then leave feedback. These generally don't have huge requirement lists and can be a fantastic way to build trade feedback so that it's easier to meet the requirements for group swaps.

The theme of a swap can be pretty much anything. I've done ponies, Disney, Cross Country ponies, stickers... I'm in the middle of more ponies, Christmas ornaments, tea and chocolate and Christmas cards now.

A swap box *usually* consists of the key item theme being swapped (eg. each person lists 20 wanted ponies and both people agree to a budget of, say, $20.) and then extras (stuff like candy, stickers, pens, journals, etc. What's being sent can really vary depending on the nature of the swap. A card is generally included (store bought or handmade) so people can remember the swap and know who bought for them. Gifts are wrapped in wrapping paper or colored tissue (tip: if sending ponies, put them in freezer bags / ziploc bags and then wrap them--it prevents any risk of ink bleeding onto them.) The cost of shipping is *always* separate from the budget set for key items and extras. Some swaps are fully international and some will let you choose what area(s) you are willing to ship to.

I'm a total swapaholic and am so glad I discovered this. If you want to see what wraps are like I would suggest looking up:

"Tea and chocolate" or "sock swap" or "mug swap" in off topic, or "holiday swap" or "private swap" in the Brag Arena. (Make sure you choose the area of the forums and -then- type the phrase into the search bar at the top of the site. It works faster / better that way!)

I hope this helps.

[PuddingPie]

You will know a lot of awesome people here like I do and have a lot of fun, only be yourself 
If you need sombody to talk of whatever here I am, talk is always awsome for me <3

Sorry I ended cheking your DA. I watch you there (My user on DA is Mellise  ) You art is prety cute btw!  I also saw you like Steven Universe? Oh my, I feel like I lost something now they are on hiatus!

thank you very much for your kind words! and thank you for the compliments about my art ;///; i do not post often on my DeviantART because digital art takes me a long time, i post more on my Instagram (@virgo_vertigo) if you like! i would watch you in return but i don't often check the mail in my inbox unless it is directed towards me, so i would not see your posts >x<;;

but now i am determined to finish a drawing! thank you for encouraging me ;3;
and yes ... not that Steven Universe is on hiatus it's like, oh man what now?

[zombienixon]

You don't have to be nervous about what's in your collection or how big it is.  When I joined, most of my collection was G4 blind bags, and I had little to no interest in older gen toys.  Even today, I only have 5 G1s (although I'd like to get more), none are Nirvanas.

And if you were into MLP as a kid, then you have more experience with ponies than I do. I only got into it about 4 years ago when I started watching Friendship is Magic, and didn't start collecting until about a year after that.

And the age difference isn't a big deal either, most of the members may be adults, but you're talking about people who compulsively buy and collect toys for small children. We're not exactly going to be the most serious people.

All you really need to do is relax and enjoy the company of people with a common interest.

[ghouldilocks]

I think you've been given some really great encouragement already, so there isn't much else to say! I can certainly understand why you would be unsure how you can fit in with the group when so many of us are much older or have a more "advanced" collection. But like others have said, we're all here because of pony love, so you are absolutely in the right place!  There's no collector criteria you have to meet - just be friendly and respectful!

You'll also find that there are some people who've been collecting for years and are perfectly content with very small collections - not everyone is a completionist!  Just collect what makes you happy; don't feel that you have to meet some kind of quota as far as numbers or anything like that. And don't get totally discouraged about Nirvanas either! I never thought I would be able to add any to my herd because of the usual cost, but now I have Italian Seashell and Italian Bubbles sitting on my desk in front of me, and I couldn't be happier! If you're patient, you can be sure to get decent deals now and then (or just have a stroke of incredible luck!). 

My favorite parts of the forums to visit are the Pony Brags and the Customs, because I love seeing everyone's photos - seeing which ponies people are adding to their collections and getting a vicarious pony-hunting thrill, and enjoying the art people have created (because I am not artistic at all). I also love creeping the Swap brags, and have plans to join a swap sometime in the future, when I have a bit more disposable income.

Overall, I think this is a great and welcoming community; there really is something for everyone! I know that there are other members here who consider themselves bronies as well as collectors, so you aren't alone in your coming from that community, either. 

[kaoskat]

We do try to not judge one another based on collection size, generation, etc on here. I'm sure if you just be yourself and talk to everyone, you'll fit in just fine.

[BuckinghamAlice]

As someone else who is new-ish here, I just want to say that I hope you start to feel more at home here and post more!    I was really intimidated at first too (I'm a really new collector -- I got my first ponies in June) but everyone has been welcoming.  I fretted about the size of my collection too, and about sharing pictures of my collection because I don't have a pretty, permanent display like lots of people do, but everyone was really friendly and complimented me and my ponies!   The most fun part of collecting anything is buying what you love.  If you want a Nirvana, I hope you are able to save up and eventually get one!  But having one wouldn't necessarily make your collection any more special... you do that by loving them.

[Lore-Lei]

If that gives you any sense of relief I only have one pony. I'm not a collector, just an artist and a writer. People here are different than the brony fndom, but the environtment is so good I think it is not hard to get used to.