About the BJD hobby, and making friends..

I met a few local doll collectors online when I was still collecting fashion dolls. Eventually I met some of them in person at local doll stores, and we became friends. Some of us started buying BJDs, and I joined some BJD forums online. Eventually I met more people in person, and then a bunch of us met at a convention. I'm still friends with all of them, though some have gone on to other hobbies. And I have made more friends and acquaintances at other conventions and meetups. We keep in touch online at forums and in emails in between the times that we get to see each other.

Everyone is shy meeting new people, but you already have the BJDs in common! Maybe you could find just a few local people and meet up with them in person? That way, there's only a small group and not a huge crowd. The first step is finding friends who live near you, here at DoA. You can find them if you gather up your courage a little and go out.

Linda S.
galatia9

 

You look too good to feel shy

I am mostly alone in the hobby, because I am am not doll-player, but collector and artist. I can't take back spirit of doll games like in the childhood and prefer to create stories with another people in RPG-communities. Two of my real fellows are keen on bjd, but our friendship is not based on dolls. Besides there is some strange feeling in hobby than people interest you because you are owner-of-the-doll, you know, like resin thing attachment It's OK, but feeling is a bit strange.

Anyway, I am open to communication, but I can't go on real meeting with you, because I live too far

 

I've met almost all of my closest friends through the hobby! Some I met online, mostly through BJD roleplay, and some of those, I've arranged to travel and meet in person.

Most of my doll friends, I've met through local doll meets. I know they can be intimidating at first, but it's worth it. I have about 5 or more friends locally that I talk to regularly, even outside of meets and about non-doll related things, that I never would have known if I hadn't started going to meets.

 

I know how you feel. I'm mostly alone, too. There is a BJD group in my state, but they use Facebook, and I don't. I'm afraid to reach out to them - I really feel like I probably wouldn't fit in.

 

I don't really have close friends. I speak quite often with a few people met through other hobbies but they're actually scared of dolls. I do show them pics sometims but I know I shouldn't push it too much.

You should look if there's a local doll community in your country, even if it isn't specifically for BJDs, that way you'll be close to other collectors.

It's easy to have a flickr, you just register and upload pics. It's actually useful to have one to share pictures here on the forum!

 

I feel you!
I'm not super interested in giving my dolls a story or a personality, but I do really enjoy dolls as pieces of art, and as "big kid toys."

 

I don't have have any local friends that are into BJDs and the closest meets are usually about 3 hours away from where I live. If I want to talk about dolls to friends, I usually talk to my friends that I know are interested in figure collecting so they understand a bit about it. I even bought one of my friends a hujoo for their birthday last year and a pullip for them this year. I think she's even considering getting herself a bjd when she saves up. Soon I might have another person that will fully understand my conversation when I talk about BJDs.

If I can't talk to my friends that live here, I can always talk to a friend online that writes with me. She knows my characters very well and I can show her a picture of a new doll that I'm considering and she'll give me her opinion on if it looks like the character I have planned for it.

 

I made a huge move up the US east coast right before I got into dolls and attending meets is how I met all my awesome friends up here! I absolutely love that there's a social aspect to this hobby, because I've met so many amazing people that way. I know it's not always comforting to walk into a room full of strangers, but I'd urge you to see if you can find a group near you because it's really worth it.

 

You will meet many online friends from all over the world with this hobby. It is up to you whether to take it further and go to a meetup or maybe just meet a couple of people from local your area. I love going to meets as I love seeing all the dolls and I do like chattering away at whoever will listen. There are others though who are quiet and shy at our meets too. Some just sit a bit to the side and watch the activity and a few have told me they are a bit nervous in a group situation. I think it is fine if you don't talk a lot and maybe with time you may start wanting to talk to others. Doll owners tend to love to talk about their dolls and doll plans. Don't put yourself down and try not to worry to much about what others will think of you. You know we are often our own harshest critic. Just be you and you may be amazed at how quickly you feel comfortable and make some friends

 

Online just comment when you like people dolls or their stories, sometimes people will reply and sometimes you will start talking from there. I also say go to doll meeting or other conventions where you live, that's always a good way to meet people even if someone is shy. I can be very quiet and sometimes I can't stop talking, but I found that people will talk with you on conventions just because you are looking the same things or even because they like what you are wearing (cosplay or alternative fashion). Everyone can get nervous meeting new people but meeting someone you feel comfortable with make everything flow better.

 

I really felt like this in the beginning - I really wanted some "friends" or people in the BJD hobby I could talk to and relate to. But just finding people you click with is hard! (Even if this place or the internet in general makes it easier to track down people who share the same hobbies or interests...) And though I was interested in doll-meets I also was not. And they are not easy to come by in Sweden, as I see it, either.

I still do not have any BJD contacts, but I am not sure I feel the same need to have any anymore. So like the others above already have mentioned... I think attending a doll-meet would be the best tip I could give, as I do not see any other way to establish more frequent contacts with a wider selection of people. But that is bad advice since you stated that it is not an option.

But I am sure a lot of people would appreciate interest in their dolls. As in if you see a doll you really like, why not message the owner and ask about the doll. Such as their history/story or what made you drawn to them in the first place.

 

The social aspect of this hobby is one of the best parts. I have real life friends that I met through online BJD forums. It's a good way to get to know people, and you may find you have more in common than just the dolls. Most BJD people are creative and imaginative, with lots of interesting hobbies. You can strike up a friendship over sewing, art, photography, etc.

 

I don't have a lot of doll collectors in my neighborhood ):
I do have a friend who wants to start collecting them though!

 

I am not sure if i am allowed to post this, if not then please delete

I am finding it very hard to make friends in this hobby, I have been collecting bjds for 3 years now and still haven't made a friend, only acquaintances. I have put myself out there so much and i still got nothing back, i am not really sure what i am doing wrong. Is there anyone out there experiencing the same thing as me?? or am i meant to be friendless hahaha

If you are and you would like to make friends i am a willing friend, i am not a creep just a person looking for a doll friend

 

i feel the exact same way, i dont actually know a single person in this hobby. The friends that i told are supportive, but they do think its silly and I could never talk to them about doll related stuff. I'm not always good with socializing either, friendships for me are already extremely hard to keep so i couldn't even try to make any friends in the hobby. Though I have been wanting to go to meet ups and talk to other doll owners in person, however there's like no actual events or meet ups around me.
I wish i had some excellent advice for you, but i would say try the multiple bjd communities, i always see people just randomly starting conversations, and they end up becoming friends. If you lived near Colorado i would totally hang out with you D:

 

I found BJD friends by chatting with people on various doll forums, including DoA, and met them in person at conventions and meetups. I was lucky to find some great folks around my own age, and now they're some of my best friends ever.

I'm assuming you have attended local meetups? The meetup threads here at DoA should help you find like-minded people local to you. Plus if you go to the discussion threads for the types of dolls you have, you might find someone you'll have a lot in common with!

Good luck!
Linda S.
galatia9

 

I'm glad I'm not the only person like this. I have one doll friend, but really it's just an old camp friend of mine who happened to also get into bjds a bit before me, and we don't live close together and don't get to chat much at all. My close friends all just sort of put up with my occasional doll rants. They're supportive, but not particularly interested. I tried going to a few meets in my area, but I didn't connect with anyone and now I've moved and can't seem to find anyone near me who is interested in bjds. To top it off I'm kind of a lurker, so I'm not super active on here. I'm trying to be more active, but it's hard for me to figure out how to connect with people. I hope you all have better luck than I've had :/