Anybody NOT want to go to a meet? (Social aspects of the hobby)

I second redfaery on this
I am biassed when it comes to doll meets. I think it could be really nice and fun to go to one, meet new people and such. Have a great day...and I would love that experience.
But on the other hand I do have the feeling I would not fit in.
I love my dolls very much, but they are not my #1 priority in life. Over the years I've been in and out the hobby, so I am not completely up to date anymore.
Also, I have experienced IRL that people can be really overjoyed about certain aspects (face up, certain clothes...) I am very sorry but I cannot squee for hours about a pair of panties. And I have a hard time taking my dolls to public places.

 

I LOVE meet ups, but I choose not to go to any anymore because where I live, there aren't any nice groups

 

I haven't been to a meet yet (stuck in the boonies, plus I work nights so I'm never awake when most of them would occur) but it would probably be treated the exact same as any other social gathering I go to. When I'm around lots of people, even at family gatherings, I often have to go away in another room when it becomes overwhelming. Even when no one is talking to me it starts to feel like too much is going on. My family gets it, but I'm pretty worried that me ducking out every once in a while would end up offending people at meets.

 

I like meet-ups, only been to a few, it was a bit awkward because they were all talking about their dolls value, and what kind of clothes and accessories they got for them.
I love bjds but I mostly only allow myself to buy dolls under 300$ and clothes under 30$, and this for some is considered being too cheap so I didn't really fit in.
Now we don't have an Italian community anymore so I won't even know how to get to a meet-up.

 

I consider myself to be pretty introverted and easily overwhelmed by a lot of time with people, but I absolutely adore my local meetup group in Boston. I live almost two hours away, but the drive is worth it every time. The first time my wife and I attended, we were instantly welcomed and everyone was super friendly. I've never experienced any dolly snobbery or elitism with this group -- the dolls we brought were definitely on the less expensive end, and people loved them. There's always a large spectrum of doll types at the meetups. After our first time, we ended up not being able to get back to another meet for several months, and we kept running into folks from the meet on DoA who would urge us to come again and say they were looking forward to seeing us. We started attending regularly last spring.

The people who run the meet are very accommodating and welcoming, and they make sure everyone acts respectfully toward everyone else and their dolls. It was very easy to become part of the group, even for a couple of people who were really nervous about attending.


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I would love to go,I think the area I live in, is rather small and might not have enough for one, and work keep me rather busy ,I never been to one yet sadly.

 

I used to attempt to go to meets a few years ago, but I never felt particularly comfortable. For the most part the people there were very nice, but as I could attend them infrequently, I felt like I was missing out on the friendships and groups that were forming between the members. Other times I visited larger meets at conventions and such, but for some reason I found the attitudes at those meets to be much more snobby and closed off. Even when toting around my own doll, when I asked to see other dolls it was often met with stand-offish stares as if my hands were dirty or I didn't know how to hold them properly. Nowadays I don't really live close enough to attend meet-ups, but despite everything I've experienced, I might still like to try to attend one or two again someday. I just don't think it's something I'm going to try for or wish to become a regular part of my life.

 

I know what you mean, it just feels so forced if you don't have other interests in common outside of BJD's.

 

Same reasons as ninive - I don't spend much money on dolls, my BJD's and outfits are rather cheap ones and I would feel uncomfortable among other owners. That's why I don't visit the meetups, but I like to come at the thematic doll parties where I can just look around at beautiful dolls and don't need to talk

 

I have considered going to a meet but I live a long drive from the nearest group, at least 2 1/2 hours each way. And the meets are during a time of day when I have to work. I do not know anyone in my area who has any sort of interest in bjd except people who are my friends that think the dolls are cool. They don't express any desire for one, though. And the people I have met at the con where I bought my first doll and see every year seem to be very much into only Asian BJD and such. I like a lot of different types and have never seen one like my collection at these forums. So I am not sure I would enjoy the meet up. In addition, I am 60 years old and the people I have seen are much much younger. I don't know how well I would be received.

 

I would love to go to a meetup, but I just don't know of any that are in my area! I can be a bit of a hermit at times, yes, but I love meeting new people who share my interests. Although I am somewhat new to the hobby, I think going to a meetup would be an awesome experience. If anyone reacted negatively to me or my doll for any reason I am pretty thick skinned so I don't think it'd bother me. Eh, they just need a hug!

 

I'd really like to go to a meetup, although I don't know about any in my area. Plus, I'm pretty busy most of the time with college. xD; I love meeting new people and I think it would be fun to see other peoples' dolls as well. :3
Plus from my experience with meeting people from generally online-popular hobbies is that you really talk more about other things than the hobby itself. xD You find things you have in common and then chat about it. It's really fun from what I've experienced. The hardest part at first is breaking the ice with someone, really. You might wander here and there from person to person but eventually you'll find someone you really enjoy talking to and talk for ages. x3

 

I doubt I would ever go to anything like a meetup or a convention. Mostly because I don't really know anyone else in my area who is also into the hobby to go with me and I'm the type that hates going into a store of any kind by myself.

 

The initial thought of going to meet-up is nice, sure, but... I just don't think I'd enjoy it. Even if I could get past the social anxiety and other related issues, I just don't think I'd relate with those people whatsoever. Doubt they'd really understand the why behind my dolls or their personal significance, much less my other interests.

 

I go to meet ups about once a month, and I have to say I really enjoy it. I am pretty much an introvert and socially awkward. I have some social anxiety issues too. I did have an advantage of having a friend I seldom saw but am very fond of being in the group. I was worried abou talking to people I didn't know. I also worried, because my doll was very inexpensive. I did his face up, and I am neither artistic nor a person who really wears make up. I started teaching myself to sew in June when I bought my doll, and even now I'm not very good. Let me tell you, some of these dolls, both those who do for their own and those who buy, are GORGEOUS! But not one person was anything but very positive about my doll. If I asked for tips, I got them. If not, I just got compliments. I have not heard one catty or negative comment about the dolls or people in 6 months.

There is a wide variety of ages. I'm 38 and there are people on either side of my age range. The people are all also of all types. I have learned tons and tons about dolls there. But what is interesting is the fact that a wide variety of topics end up coming around. And, people float from here to there. They don't necessarily stay with their old friends the whole time. I've known one lady for about 10 years. Every single other person was a stranger when I started. But I've never felt left out. And when I didn't feel well enough to talk, but just wanted to sit back and absorb the conversation, no one seemed to give it a second thought. So, I guess it's become a social hobby for me now.

 

I've been to a few local meetups in the past (maybe 7 or 8 years ago), and though I'm pretty shy, I enjoyed seeing so many different sculpts, and it wasn't too terribly awkward, since I had my best friend with me. Also, back when I first got into the hobby, I started something among my friends... many of them got their own dolls, and we had fun at A-kon in Dallas playing around with them. Of course, I also ran into a bad seed when I lived in Florida who had me come over and give her dolls faceups, and never did pay me for them. That almost put me off of doll people at the time, but I know not all people are like that.

Now, though, I'm a bit hesitant to go to a meetup, though I admit I am curious. It seems like the group in my city is VERY organized (monthly meetings plus a convention in November!) so at this point I almost feel like I'd be intruding, since I'm sure most of them know one another already, and I'm just now getting back into the hobby after a lull of five years. I'd really mainly just want to take pictures, but that can be taxing as well.

I guess I'm in that middle section where sometimes I do like to go, and sometimes I just don't want to. I doubt I could ever do it regularly (but it helps my roommate is also getting back into the hobby with me, so I still have someone to share my dolls with).

 

Well, but unless you got to a meet and meet the people there - how do you know if you have no common interests outside of BJDs?

 

I'm from a small town, so we dont have much in the way of meetups. i may bring Quinn to our local con if i can put him in a cute matching costume but thats it.
I might go to a meet if we had one though.

 

A part of me thought it'd be nice but I'd be really nervous...be nice if I could see a lot of bjds without the owners lol...that should be a thing XD

 

I went to one meet and felt very out of place, I think it was because everyone seemed so experienced and my doll had a wonky face up and I couldn't get her to stand for the life of me. Also everyone had their own little sub group of friends with in the actual meet up which intimidated me. Don't get me wrong everyone was super nice I guess I am easy to bolt from unfamiliar social situations. Anyways that was 4 years ago and it was my first and only meet I have attended, I want to try again in the future now I'm older (still don't feel that much more experienced though).