I joined when I was 16 and confused… Perhaps the “confused” is redundant since I said I was 16? Not sure…
I’ll start again: I was feeling lost and not in control of who I was… Again, perhaps “typical” for 16, or at least not atypical…
Here’s the story: I had been searching the web for an answer. I thought I was looking for variations of “how to be myself,” but I was probably looking for “who should I be.” Fluther popped up, some question related to what I was looking for. I don’t remember what the question was anymore, I just remember reading all the responses and being drawn to the warmth and the sincerity. Making an account was free so I made an account and shot out a question to see what would happen.
And I stayed.
I’ve dropped off the map twice, both times for a couple/few years. Each time I got to a point where I felt simultaneously like I didn’t have enough worth contributing, and like Fluther had given me what I “needed” to get on “alone”... both thoughts are more indications of my insecurities than anything else.
Both times I came back because I missed it.
I’m 23 now and pretty sure my 16 year old questions don’t really have answers. If I want to get really cheesy about this (I see the opening!) I could finish this post saying: “but perhaps the ‘answer’ was they led me here.” But goodness is that cheesy
In actual years, I’ve had an account since almost-December 2009. Not sure how many years I’ve been active… Even so, I feel like I’ve sort of grown up with this place; not the entire child-to-adult timespan, but certainly the teen-to-young-adult subsection.
I remember it being busier at times, and I remember many jellies that I don’t see anymore, but I’m glad to see jellies I do (both that I recgonize and that are newer to me!)