Help...

[Aquarius]

Hi guys. I'm usually a really peppy and optimistic person, but something has really been bothering me lately and I wanted to know if anyone else has been through it too and has any advice...

I've been reading Warriors since I was 8. So, nearly 7 years. I understand that's a long time. I've always been involved with the fandom and the characters and I've read all the books except for the last one in a Vision of Shadows.. I used to talk about it all the time. In a way, I guess I still do. But I refrain from talking about it to the people at school.

But lately, with the 2019 site update, I got so excited and fell in love with it again. Even though I'm nearly 15 now, I still can't help but be attached to the characters and story... And I don't see a problem with that. I never thought of Warriors as having an age. Although a lot of kids read it, it's not exactly a kids story, and I never thought of it as such...

When I was younger, through elementary and middle school, I didn't have many friends. I was just the weird kid no one wanted to be around. Eventually, I got some other people into the series and I had a couple of friends that I could finally connect with and talk to. And I was always fine with having those few friends.

Once I entered high school... It's like everyone changed. My friends, the only people that understood me and talked to me, were no longer into the series. They called me childish and tell me I need to "grow up", since the whole "Warriors thing is getting old". At first, I was heartbroken. Then I was mad. And now I don't know what to feel. I never thought of it as having an age, but it's like I'm having a relapse, like I'm going back to that time when I had no one to depend on.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose my friends, but I can't change who I am either. I don't want to go through yet another phase of bullying, since I barely made it through the first time. I don't know what to do.

If you made it this far, I appreciate it. If you have any advice at all, I thank you in advance.

[Branch of Life]

You be you. You can try and talk about other stuff with them while talking to other people who genually enjoy the series. But before you do anything make sure you are not in a toxic realationship.

[BEAR.]

Age doesn't matter, just do what you like doing. If that's Warriors roleplaying, good on you.

[Tavvi]

Honestly, if they're making fun of you for liking a book series, not to be harsh, but they're the ones who should grow up, not you.

You're allowed to have your own interests, and those interests shouldn't make people look at you as less than. If they continue doing this I would suggest maybe talking to them about it. Tell them how they're making you feel when they dog warriors and your liking of it and if they still continue doing it after, like branch said, make sure it's not turning into a toxic or otherwise harmful relationship.

I understand it can be hard in situations like this, and I'm wishing you the best <3

[Leucos]

ignore them. It's something you like and that's ok,it holds a place in your heart and if they can't seem to understand that then I agree with tavvia they're the ones who should grow up and also it ain't they're business to say if somethings getting old or that's childish,everyone has something they enjoy and it sticks with them and creates memories. I'm sure they have something that may be childish and won't admit to anyone that they like it. Just remember the ones who squawk the most about what your doing they probably do it to and don't want the attention on them.

[Moon Lily]

It doesn't matter if they don't like it. Be yourself! You can like what you like, and they can like what they like. They don't have to agree with you. Just keep on reading! Warriors is what you like, right? So be the warrior! You be yourself! You are not a puppet who they control. You, are you, not a puppet that listens to them. You are strong. You are...THE AQUARIUS!!!

Here's a quote for your situation:
Quote!

[Brier Mane]

Becoming an adult is just getting better at being a kid.


Some of us, when we are teenagers, lose sight of that, and it is because we are attempting to establish an identity that is separate from that which was forced upon us as younger children.


Sometimes, they get a misguided impression that this means that they have to start disliking all of the things that they loved when they were kids and start pretending that they like things that they really don't like...in order to make their peers like them.


But then they are not really becoming independent. They are going from being under the control of their parents and teachers to being under the control of people their own age. That ends up being a downgrade. People that never figure this out often become very unpleasant and unhappy, and they really never become independent.



A more intelligent way of pursuing your independence is to start polishing your own creative skills. The authors of Warriors created a good starting point for you, so if you like the principle, work on your own creative skills.


But if you want to do it like an adult, you don't let it crowd out other things you might want to do. Instead, you set aside thirty minutes a day to just do nothing else but write, draw, or practice at some other craft that is meaningful to you.


And it does not just have to be writing or art. Do you admire the medicine cats from the series? Study plant extracts, again keeping it confined to just a part of your life, not letting it overwhelm your life. Most people your age don't know this, but protein-bound paclitaxl, one of the most powerful cancer-fighting drugs, was originally derived from an extract of Pacific yew, so a good botanist can really change how people live. Does it have to be that? No. It could be anything. If you are into cosplay, then study textiles until you have firms based in Manhattan lining up at your door trying to hire you. If you draw, then read college-level textbooks on technique. If you write, learn how to use an outline, and study meter and rhythm. It could be anything that you use to express your passion, but just learn to do it well.



A few minutes might seem like a short amount of time to spend on a passion, but tell me a straight tale: are you planning on dying in a week? If not, then you have plenty of time. Learning to budget your time is the best skill you will ever learn. You start getting a lot more done in a much shorter amount of time. You end up living a fuller life and accomplishing more, not less. This is a powerful piece of knowledge for you to have. Put more into the short time that you have. Stretch those hours. Make every second count. This is a power skill.



And furthermore, if you keep getting good grades, you might end up earning the right to do something related to it for a living. Work is what you spend most of your waking adult life doing. If you are not doing work that you believe in and that has aims that you agree with and have a passion for, then that is irrational. The most rational, sane way that you can behave is to focus on learning how to translate your favorite "kid stuff" into a livelihood and into a source of power. It is madness to spend the majority of your waking life doing anything else besides what you love. If you haven't figured out how to translate it or a part of it that is important to you into an occupation, yet, then get your thinking cap on. If you can't teach your passion how to pay the bills, then you will eventually be forced to give it up, and letting that happen is a dumb move.


I will tell you a weird fact about me: I was literally happier starving than I was working in a job that I did not believe in. I am not kidding. I don't recommend starving, though. Malnutrition is not good for you. I was having health issues for years. But I didn't stay hungry forever. I found a better job. I recommend just getting good grades and skipping the whole almost starving to death thing. I am still smarter, I think, than somebody that stays in a job he doesn't like, but I am still dumber than someone that just gets the good job to start with. Hopefully, you will be smarter than both me AND the dummy that stayed in the job he hated. You do that by learning self-discipline and applying it to everything, including things that you love. The reason I took so long was that I used to think that self-discipline was just something that took me away from my passions. I put self-discipline together with my passions, and I am slowly becoming prosperous. I am not totally dense. I just took a little bit longer than I needed to figuring it out. I didn't have to be a starving artist to continue being an artist.



And if you are not good enough at it that you have people following you and wanting to be like you, then get better until you do. Whatever you create, show it to people. Get feedback from a friend. Maybe the first thing you make will have people wrinkling their noses and trying to say something nice and not really sounding sincere. Maybe you will know they are just trying to be nice and not hurt your feelings. That's okay. Get better until their eyes pop out, and they say "wow." Get scary good.



In short, growing up is not about giving up the things you loved when you were a kid. It's about getting better at them. It is about becoming the master of them and learning how to translate those things into a livelihood and into a life that is worth living. If some people your own age have not realized that yet, then give them awhile. Be patient. The better ones will catch up with you, eventually.

[Mango]

If it helps. My peers judge me for using WCO, I don’t read the books anymore. I had one guy who made a profile once and broke a heap ton of sight rules trying to make me so mad I’d get banned from this website, it didn’t work instead he got banned for life. I just don’t really talk about Rping anymore for the most part. It gets awkward when a teacher looks over my shoulder and sees WCO explaining it. If I were you I recommend discussing the books on the site and discuss it with people here.

[pomegranate]

I agree with Snowkapi and Tavvia. My friends judge me a little bit for using this Roleplay site. Some of them call it ‘gay’ or a ‘furry site’ which could be taken offensively, but I try to keep it lighthearted and just explain that it’s not anything bad. Yeah, I Roleplay fluffy gay cats who flirt with each other, who cares? It’s helped my writing skills tremendously, and one of my friends even joined the site after I talked about it a bit. Sometimes I do worry about what would happen if my parents found out, or if one of my friends told someone else that I Roleplay on a ‘furry site’, but in the end it’s none of their business and it doesn’t matter if they’re my friend or not.
In reality, while being gay or liking furries isn’t wrong, this site shouldn’t ever be described as those things. This site has beautiful members, it’s accepting to all sexualities and beliefs, and it’s a place where people from all over can just come together and write about fictional characters. But this site is fun, and if my friends don’t support what I enjoy doing in my free time, they need to grow up.
I say this- handle the comments. If anyone says that liking a series or roleplaying is childish, just brush it off. They need to grow up. But definitely, do NOT leave your friends. I’m sure they’re your friends for a reason, they just aren’t used to a person fanning over fictional talking cats. But guess what- that’s what I do in my free time! If my friends make a comment, I just laugh and pretend like I don’t care. It’s not their decision what my definition of ‘fun’ is.
Now, just don’t leave your friends. Then they’ll think you’re being childish for just storming off. Instead, show them that they need to accept your passion, and if they don’t? Show them that you don’t care. But be advised-
Like Branch said, if it’s a TOXIC or HARMFUL relationship, jump right out of there. Friends who want to shove you into a cookie cutter life are bad for you and not friends. If they say ‘that’s childish, stop’ then leave. If they say ‘ha, you Roleplay talking cats’, just remind them that it’s something you enjoy. But if it becomes demanding or judge mental, give them one chance or leave them in the dust.

WCO is a beautiful place. The Warriors fandom isn’t a childish thing, I’d say for people like me and you, it’s nostalgic. I still buy the new books, I’m not as crazy over them now as I once was, but this fandom is something that brings me joy and memories of when I first got into the series in 1st or 2nd grade. I love it, and if anyone says that it’s wrong, tell them that they may not enjoy it, but you do.

[Gold]

Those people who think Warriors is for little kids are just jealous! Ignore them!! They don't remember that Warriors has battles, bloodshed, and violence! That is not childish AT ALL!!!!!!!!