Who were you so long ago?

Lavvie · 2017-08-01T16:04:43Z

Today is no special day. It is neither YWS' birthday nor mine nor Nate's. It is, however, the first of a month and the day following the first server migration in four and a half years! So, perhaps, today might just be a special day. It's also a special day because you are here, and you are part of a very wonderful online community. By that logic, that makes every day here a special day. Reflection is good for the soul and I'm a hopelessly nostalgic human being, so I'd like to bring a little bit of that to YWS today. Who were you when you joined YWS? Did you go by a different username? Have you grown up significantly? What have you learned since your first YWS days? Did you discover a passion for poetry or found yourself suited to storybooking? I want to hear your story, so post below! Who knows, maybe this will develop into something more! ;) If you want to hear my story, look no further than the spoiler below. I joined YWS when I was just thirteen and now I'll be twenty-one in a couple of weeks. Then, I went by LavenderBlue, and I was an enthusiastic young teenager who irritated the hell out of many users, I am sure. But then, we've all been in that situation, right? I have grown into dreams and out of them over the course of my membership in this community. I have struggled through heartbreak and loss, and celebrated my accomplishments and adventures. I've logged into to YWS from Canada, Germany, France, and the USA – to name the countries I've lived in for extended periods of time. There is no denying that YWS is a site like no other, because the community is tight-knit and welcoming, and feels more like a village than an anonymous online forum. In my awkward teenage years, when I often felt like an outsider at my high school and in my world, YWS was there so that I could be myself and fully immerse myself in a world of interesting dialogue and creative minds. Over the years, I have not always been active on the site. I have certainly taken my breaks, but there has never been a day where I didn't think of YWS. Writing will always be my one true love (don't tell my boyfriend), and YWS is strongly connected to that love. I've learned a lot from the users that have merely floated through and also by those that came to stay awhile. While I'll always consider myself a patron of prose, YWS was where I dabbled a little in poetry and storybooking and pushed my creative boundaries. I think I'm better for it, too. (I'm still really horrendous at writing poetry, though.) Now that I am older, I am more independent and confident, which contributes to a life outside of YWS - something that I probably did have much of when I was in the middle of teenagerdom. Nevertheless, I am always here, always thinking of this place, and deeply protective of this place I might really consider a second home of mine. Essentially, as the people I surround myself with in my life or the travels I undertake greatly influence who I am, my involvement with YWS has contributed to the formation of who I am today. It's cheesy, I know, but it's also the truth.

I joined YWS about a week before my birthday back in February of 2016. So not that long ago, though it does feel like I've been here for a while.

I remember when I first joined I was really excited about Storybooks and what is now known as "The Roleplay Realm." I remember a lot of people being really friendly and welcoming and telling me how the site works, namely TheSilverFox and Wolfical I believe. I was a bit overwhelmed at the time actually by how many people were eager for me to get involved, so I stepped my toes in hesitantly in the Character Chit-Chat forums and in one SB at the time.

Since then I'd like to think I've improved a lot as a writer. I've never been a big reviewer unfortunately, nor do I post much anymore (mostly because of really low self confidence). But I remember getting lots of good feedback back when I did, and it was helpful and left me even now with things I'm mindful of as a writer.

My activity was off and on, but when I started talking to more people and getting to know more of ya'll I began to check here every day.

It's been fun and I really enjoy all of you guys. Ya'll are super encouraging and sweet people

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