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- Hooded Pitohui
Sickeningly saccharine? Perhaps so, but I still thought this thread a good idea. I figured we could have a thread where we reminisce on some positive moments, where something or someone really made us feel welcomed into the community here at the Super Mario Wiki and Super Mario Boards and we deepened the roots we have put down around here. Plus, maybe reading some of the stories here and reminiscing on our own experiences will serve as inspiration for us to reach out to others, to try and bring other folks into the fold and make them feel welcome around here.
As for myself, well... oy, I could be here all day if I stopped to think through and write out every time something has happened that made me think "wow, I really am a part of this community and I feel comfortable here and enjoy the time I spend here." I mean, besides the small, everyday things like getting a question in my ask thread, or having a good chat with someone I've met around here, there's a couple of things that stand out.
There's the early interactions, of course, which are always going to have an outsized influence. Talking to folks like Rose and Perch, two of my closest friends in the community, early on, having casual conversations, having them encourage me to join in some projects, that kind of stuff went a long way in making me want to contribute more (more than I already did, at least). Simple little things like Perch eagerly sharing old 'Shroom stories and memories of the community with me did a ton to make me feel comfortable here.
And I should mention my experiences on the 9th Poll Committee, under TPG and Rose, and on the Awards Committee, with Anton and Turboo at the helm. I can remember joining both of those projects for the first time, and not being entirely sure what to expect. I had some idea of what I was getting into, but I wasn't sure how it would all feel. I quickly found a place and rhythm on both. They did a good job of making you feel like you were really part of a team, working with other people, having your ideas listened to. Your contributions to those projects matter. And of course The 'Shroom has had its own big role to play in that regard. Talking to folks about sections I wrote, getting into the staff and having Perch, MK, LTQ, those folks help me and get me settled into the position, working with them on projects, I mean, I planned to stay anyways, but it's that kind of thing that has ensured you all won't be rid of my anytime soon.
And even today, I appreciate those interactions! You know, whether I'm sharing a new 'Shroom idea with Shoey, working alongside NS and LTQ to do something new with the paper, chatting with folks who want to come to me and talk about matters casual or serious, playing off of Waluigi Time and seeing him come into his own in this community, seeing BLOF's section come together each month, seeing winstein contribute his unique ideas on the Poll Committee, or doing something like working with Magolor on some technical aspect of his section, there's tons of small moments which endear me to this community and make me want to see it continue to grow and thrive so that other folks can have these experiences, too.
As for myself, well... oy, I could be here all day if I stopped to think through and write out every time something has happened that made me think "wow, I really am a part of this community and I feel comfortable here and enjoy the time I spend here." I mean, besides the small, everyday things like getting a question in my ask thread, or having a good chat with someone I've met around here, there's a couple of things that stand out.
There's the early interactions, of course, which are always going to have an outsized influence. Talking to folks like Rose and Perch, two of my closest friends in the community, early on, having casual conversations, having them encourage me to join in some projects, that kind of stuff went a long way in making me want to contribute more (more than I already did, at least). Simple little things like Perch eagerly sharing old 'Shroom stories and memories of the community with me did a ton to make me feel comfortable here.
And I should mention my experiences on the 9th Poll Committee, under TPG and Rose, and on the Awards Committee, with Anton and Turboo at the helm. I can remember joining both of those projects for the first time, and not being entirely sure what to expect. I had some idea of what I was getting into, but I wasn't sure how it would all feel. I quickly found a place and rhythm on both. They did a good job of making you feel like you were really part of a team, working with other people, having your ideas listened to. Your contributions to those projects matter. And of course The 'Shroom has had its own big role to play in that regard. Talking to folks about sections I wrote, getting into the staff and having Perch, MK, LTQ, those folks help me and get me settled into the position, working with them on projects, I mean, I planned to stay anyways, but it's that kind of thing that has ensured you all won't be rid of my anytime soon.
And even today, I appreciate those interactions! You know, whether I'm sharing a new 'Shroom idea with Shoey, working alongside NS and LTQ to do something new with the paper, chatting with folks who want to come to me and talk about matters casual or serious, playing off of Waluigi Time and seeing him come into his own in this community, seeing BLOF's section come together each month, seeing winstein contribute his unique ideas on the Poll Committee, or doing something like working with Magolor on some technical aspect of his section, there's tons of small moments which endear me to this community and make me want to see it continue to grow and thrive so that other folks can have these experiences, too.