Hello Neopia!

Yes, I played neopets. That was from 6th through 9th (and a bit of 10th) grade. That was the beginning of my online experience. And it was a really good way to start off. Neopets was a really safe site with an emphasis on having these pets and playing games to earn “neocash” in order buy food and books and toys and furniture for them. I liked the arcade games a lot and got pretty good at Meerca Chase. Oh! And once, I got the third place trophy in the Garage Sale Game (it’s the one where the Chias are dropping items and you have to catch them).

One of the things I really loved about that site were the plots they’d have. I was very involved in those when I played. I did the Altador plot for multiple accounts and I did the Halloween plot for both my account and my brothers. That one involved a LOT of maps (that I actually drew out by hand on paper cause it was an elaborate maze). I loved those plot sooooo much!!! Those were good times.

The other thing I was really into on that site was the roleplaying board. I made up personalities and backstories for my pets and then I play pretended with them with people I didn’t know somewhere else. And there was absolutely nothing creepy about it. We were all just kids having fun and being creative and writing. And it was really nice. I was also into the super-powered teenagers roleplays. And the pokemon ones (cause pokemon was another HUGE part of my childhood).

I don’t really talk much about my neopets days with people. Occasionally neopets will get mentioned as that “in” website from middle school and we’ll all laugh about how much time we spent saving up for the next paintbrush. And I’ll laugh with the crowd and smile and keep to myself how important that experience was for me. I got to interact with other people I didn’t know in a safe environment. I got to get to know the internet for what good it can do and how it can connect people with common interests in an entirely benign and mutually beneficial way. I made friends through neopets, none that I still have cause I stopped using the site a long time ago (though I will still occasionally log in, check up on my pets, and play a few of the games), and they were the friends online who got me through the time when I didn’t have any close friends at school. They were the people who I could choose to be my friends from a vast pool of people. They were the ones I found, not the acquaintances I was given.

So, while the amount of time I spent on neopets and my dedication to the site is not something I will readily admit, it is no longer something I’m ashamed of. I know that without it I would not have been as accepting of Nerdfightaria when I found it and I would definitely not have tried to start engaging in that community. I have yet to start making very many breaks into it but I know I will continue and I know it will be something in my life for a very long time. And I know that’s at least partly due to neopets.

TTFN,

-Merr

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