I have been a member of Stardoll since November '07. That's 6 and a half years. I was 13 when I joined and recently turned 20. So basically, I have been a member of Stardoll all of the years that I have been a teenager. When I could be out rebelling against my parents by sneaking out to hang out with my friends, I was mostly at home. In front of my computer on Skype. Giggling, even though I was the only person in the room. In the so called "golden days" of Stardoll (around '08-'10), I would mostly be in at least one group chat and be talking to at least a couple of people on the side as well. Now-a-days the only people I talk to on Skype are family members and Alice. I still have over a 100 contacts, a reminder of the days where Skype was a blaze with Stardoll members. Days where I was often "invisble", simply because too many people would contact me if they knew I was online.
Behind Skype, my internet browser would be open, and on it, would be Stardoll. The website itself and most likely several Stardoll related blogs would be open in different windows. I would check for the news, I would check for the gossip, and I would check to see if there was something with my name in it. Yes, I did that. Remember guys, I was like 15. And 15 year-olds want to be popular. Even if it's on a virtual site. So being mentioned on blogs like Perez Hilton of Stardoll was huge for me. And something you'd freak out about with your online friends.
There can be so many people out there, who likes to criticize the fraction of the Stardoll members who became known as Elites, but to be completely honest with you guys, it was awesome. I know, I know, putting other members down, making other people feel like their worth less and yada yada. I get it. But like everything in life, things are just not that black and white. For me, personally, it was amazing. Simply because I just wasn't the most popular person in real life at that time. Stardoll gave me a chance to feel what it's like to be popular, to have people knowing your name everywhere (I loved this) and wanting you to be a part of their projects (wasn't always the biggest fan of this, but it was flattering). I know that some people weren't proud to be called an elite (honestly, I just think that everyone was just saying this publicly. I think, deep down, they liked it.). And you may frown at me and call me stuck up. And maybe, I am out of line. But the truth is, that I honestly don't know what it was like being on the outside looking in at that time. I only know what it was like for me at that time, and so my views on certain things will be different from the norm.
The subject of this post was mainly suppose to be about what it is that keeps us coming back to Stardoll, but I guess I've strayed a bit off topic. That happens, please bare with me.
The reason I kept coming back to Stardoll, besides this feeling of popularity it gave me for a few years, is not Stardoll. By this I mean, it is not the site itself. I honestly never cared that much about the dress-ups, and changing my medoll's outfit is not the reason I keep logging on. What makes me keep coming back to Stardoll are all these amazing projects that people make about this site. And of course the amazing people in themselves is a good enough reason. It's the friends and it's the projects. Those are the things that inspire me and keeps me coming back for more. Stardoll is not just a site for "fame, fashion and friends", it's a site of creativity. I know that a lot of people that join Stardoll as teenagers, and the site and its members helps them find who they really are. Through the site, we become aware of our own personal style, and its outside projects pushes us to find and nourish our own creative streaks. I don't think I would have found out how much I like writing things like this, if it wasn't for Stardoll. The projects and the friends that we make down the line helps us grow and evolve. They make us more creative and they give us a free space to have a bit of fun and just be teenage girls. We grow as persons through Stardoll and in that process, Stardoll becomes a part of who we are. We keep coming back to this site because we've gotten used to this free creative space, where we can hang out with people who shares our interests. Or at least, that's why I think we keep coming back.
What do you think? Am I out of line? Why do you come back?
Ps. Shot-out to EMILYmileyrocks for the idea behind this post! If you have any of your own suggestions as to what we could write about, click here.
I was never one of the Skype Stardoll users, mainly because I was stuck with MSN, just a while ago then. I never had the popularity as others either, I was just content to read peoples posts, presentations and blogs and take part in GB Parties.I wasn't a very social creature, I was always conscious that I was a year or two younger than many that were speaking and didn't want to sound silly.
ReplyDeleteI do believe this site lets you relax and be creative, i mean nobody knows who are behind the doll, unless you want them too. And even then, you would have to have a strong bond with them, not like nowadays where you enter a party room and people are wanting to do "Virtual 3-somes"; i mean Gaaaad.
I never used skype for Stardoll and up until a year ago I wasn't very social outside the actual Stardoll site. I was massively into clubs, I remember I had been an HPCer, MSWer, OCer, TCer and probably many more, that's what kept me coming back to begin with.
ReplyDeleteThrough these clubs I discovered the Stardoll blogging scene, and also all of the Stardoll graphics people would make. I started to make some of my own and as the clubs died out I started to stick with the blogs. That's what keeps me coming back now.
While the amazing clothes on Stardoll are still a reason to stay, I think without the blogs, I would've left months ago when my original account was deleted.
I joined the site to play with dress up dolls. I stayed because of all the possibilities it offered, even though there weren't that many at the time. I remember first few clothing items I got, first time I purchased a ss membership, and realizing that 50 stardollars a week just wouldn't be enough, so I slowly worked my way on becoming reseller. And I became really good at it, quickly learned about rares and valuable stuff.
ReplyDeleteI also fell in love with blogging, can't remember how that happened either, I just started visiting some blogs, and one day became a part of one. And then another. Blogs eventually died, but my love for blogging, and my blogging skills grew. As my biggest achievement in Stardoll blogging is definitelly getting accepted as USD columnist. I really love writing my column. I also started my own blog, which is not that popular, but has enough followers to keep me inspired to write at least one post a week.
And even if I ever decide to quit Stardoll, I will have those writing skills, my English writing (as my second language), maybe start my own real life blog.
For now, I just enjoy 'playing' with my clothes on SD. I buy some, resell, buy new ones, etc.. I try not to get attached to items, as I like earning stardollars and making profit. (Of course, there are some items I would probably never sell.)
And friends, of course. I haven't had, nor I do now, many friends that I talk to, but I think a handful of real friends is better than a hundreds of, well not so friendly/talkative friends.
Great post. It really made me think about my time here on Stardoll and why I bothered to come back. I joined the site because I loved dolls, dress up, fashion etc.. Stardoll definitely helped me shape me as a person. I learned the things I like and dislike. I learned what type of person I wanted to be and not be. Unlike many of you, I was only mildly creative, but I LOVED seeing Stardoll inspire other peoples creativity and that inspired mine with competitions and blog posts. I guess I was one of those fairly "lucky" people that somehow got classified as "elite" from the "golden" time period. I truly never did like that word. I never thought I was better than anyone else, but I did enjoy some of the popularity it brought. One of the reasons I ran competitions was because I wanted to allow people who didn't have the same opportunities I had to be SS to experience it. I was pretty popular in real life, but part of me always needed a break from it, To escape. For me...Stardoll was like escaping into a good book. A whole other world.Where I could be myself, yet not be self. If that makes any sense and I got to help people to boot. I never really skyped or socialized too much, but I liked it. I like touching base with people and seeing what was going on with everyone else. I had a few amazing friends on here and that was good for me. Some people thought I was snobby or aloof, but that was not the case. Anyway, one of the things I loved most was collecting. I still love it. Even though I know and learned the hard way it was silly to spend so much on virtual items that a hacker could take away from you in the blink of an eye. That "devastated" me. I lost my trust in people and in Stardoll. I honestly thought I'd never step foot back on virtual soil. But as time passed, wounds healed :). I now have siblings and cousins that like the site and I am eager to share it with them. I am no longer obsessed with having everything and will not pay insane amounts to get it.. But I am happy to show them the safe ways to enjoy the site and all that it offers. I found that I also missed the friends that I made on here and while many are sadly gone, it was still a coming home of sorts.
ReplyDeleteI am 19 now and here is to a new "era" on Stardoll. While we might not be on it for much longer. I hope that we all cab band together and make another incredible journey to remember.