Being yourself, being popular, loving dolls

I've never been the popular type while in high school. My notes made me pretty popular in uni, though I don't think it's the same

I've always liked collecting things, dolls in particular, and I've been known to have some very weird hobbies and reactions for the sake of it. For example, during the early autumn, I'm always jumping every time I see one of those seeds that resemble dandelions, trying to catch and collect them, ever since I was a child. I keep doing it just for the laughs, but my friends have been known for bringing me back one of those seeds from different countries when they were on vacation. I'm afraid that my family and friends won't find weird anything I do. The rest of the world, I couldn't care less...

Besides, my friends actually seem to like the dolls, and one of them even would love to own one, but cannot afford them. I'm saving to buy one for her as a present, but I haven't had a sculpt in mind yet... A puki, most likely, because they're small and cute.

Also, I should point out that, despite of knowing of them for a long time, I didn't start collecting them until three years ago, and by now I don't really care about what people has to say. It's a "Don't like? Fine by me..." kind of feeling now.

 

Well, actually, I've got a similar story to yours Nononanoon but really in a different way. You see I don't hang around the so called "Popular crowd" nor do I where the latest fashions or anything like that, but in my face I look like someone who should be that way. I have naturally blond hair and green/blue eyes, and apparently that means I must not be into video games, anime, oranything of that like and I tend to get very strange looks when I meet people who do fit the nerd/geek/goth clique and start talking about how Dragonage has really MMORPG based battle mechanics that takes away from the awesomeness of the rest of the game.
Though, now that I think about it, I've gotten some pretty strange reactions from friends who know how I really am when they meet my Allen. They also think he's strange and creepy as my parents do, even though most of them spend hours at a time talking about how they would survive a Zombie apocalypses during lunch and which horror games have the best blood spatter graphics, which makes me feel like they're being a bit hypocritical. In any case, it does tend to make me a bit warier when talking to others about my hobbies.

 

I won't waste space/time by reminiscing about my high school days (which were hilarious and horrible all at the same time). Suffice to say, most of my "friends" then would probably flip their poo if they knew how I was spending my money. Which is probably why I don't hang out with them/call them anymore. Huh.

I don't remember if I was raised to believe this, learned it somewhere along the line, or what, but the phrase "Never be ashamed of who you are" is one of my major life philosophies. Which, in my interpretation, means that I really don't care what people say or think about me and my lovely, creepy dolls, so long as I'm happy with the person I am.

 

In secondary school (dang, already 5 years ago) I was never really part of the popular group of the class. But I got along with some other people very well. We didn't have much in common though, just having fun Apart from some basics we didn't know much about eachother and what we did in our spare time. What we didn't tell, nobody knew and didn't really care tbh.

At Uni I got along with my entire class for 3 years (class changed partly every year) but I found out that some people really wore masks and were butt-arrogant and rude behind my back etx. Only in the third year I got in contact with bjd and I didn't really think they needed to know. I would do some research at school and if someone asks I answered, nothing more. Some of the more backstabbing people were kinda surprised by it and sometimes made some nasty comments, good thing that I didn't care about anything they thought though, ignorance is something valuable I've learned back then. If people didn't accept me they could just bugger off ...

At work now :p Some people know about the hobby and accept me the way I am Guess we're all adults, no teens anymore :p I don't force anything on them or talk too often about my dolls but they know where I'm going during the weekends when there is a meetup etx

For my off-work friends it depends from person to person what I tell them. Since some of them I just know because they know a friend of mine etx (and often I just don't like them)
Even some of the people I do call a friend would make annoying comments about my dolls, which kinda hurts from time to time, so I only talk about them when they come up per accident. At least I have a real hobby (not gaming or some kind of sport once a week...) But I also know some people who are into more alternative hobbies, and even though I haven't told them yet, I almost know certainly they wouldn't make any problem of it

 

I'm very open about myself and my hobbies, there's no reason I would hide my lovelies

I've never been popular until I got into college, and even now I'm just a sophomore. Like what Silk said, "if you act like doll collecting is a normal thing to do, people won't look at you funny." Even one of my professors has recently been exposed to one of my boys, and he didn't even bat an eye because I was just so open about it.

Of course, I'll come across the common "creepy/scary!" response. I usually reply, "Good, what's what I got them for," haha. But I do have some peers who think they're beautiful and/or adorable, but personally as long as they're appealing to me, it's never going to be a problem. C:

 

I dont announce it to the world, but i don't keep it a secret. A few of my friends know i love (love) BJD's, and a lot of girls at my school (i go to a small school) know i collect dolls. Some think its weird, but they dont understand exactly what BJD's are.
So i haven't quite had the courage to announce to EVERYONE that i love dolls, but then again I really have no need to.

Just enjoy the doll hobby and have fun is what i'd suggest

 

I did not start collecting until this year, I have completed graduate school and work full time. At this point in my life I don't see it as detrimental to me socially. I've established myself as both an artist and a game designer. So I'm in the circle of nerd, geek, and arty that is easy to understand. I have a large variety of friends and social circles. Is doll collecting weird, compared to some of my other hobbies? Not really.

How I behave when I talk about the dolls or how I present myself I think says more than what they might preconceive about the hobby. If I sound obsessive then that may be more what drives people to think I'm weird and the hobby is also weird. If I present myself as passionate and intelligent then someone just thinks it's a point of interest about me. My dolls, even though they do not really have proper clothes (one is just in a bathrobe), sit on a shelf. Anyone who comes over and walks through the door will see them. They are also surrounded by My Little ponies so that softens the blow a bit. There's also pictures of my family nearby and DVDs. This presentation makes them a part of many interests. Not my obsession.

 

I got really into BJDs in my second year of high school. Several of my good friends also began to like them around the same time as well. I was popular in the sense that everyone knew me lol But then again how could you not know the girl with neon green and black dreadlocks who always had over the top makeup? lol From that I'm sure you can tell I really didn't give a shit what the other 'kids' thought of me. I had a lot of friends and managed to strike enough fear into the others for them not to bother me often. My dear dolls did come to class~ The produced odd looks (though I was fairly use to that anyway) and some rude comments. On the up side they did start interesting conversations and after a while some of my friends brought theirs too ^_^
I admit the day I carried just a head with me was most amusing. There were comments about voodoo and curse *giggles*

Now I'm in college, finishing my 1st year and only one of my darlings have come with me. He only came because I used him as part of a project....but I feel less comfortable bringing them with me now. I think this is due to the "you have to act like a grown-up" crap I've got set in my mind. Though I dress the same and really dont act any different then I did before lol I guess it may be environment as well. I'm not as comfortable saying "accept it or fuck off" As I dont know many of the people I attend school with. Who knows though, I do have a Chalco on the way LMFAO He may have to some one day for photos~ We have a lovely campus lol

 

I just turned 41 today and I still think it's a fascinating read how young peeps today cope with this kind of thing. Every time I hear somebody reach that moment when they stop caring about the opinions of strangers, and decide to be themselves, I stand up and cheer. (Especially girls.) I stopped caring about such useless concepts as 'social appropriateness' when I was, I think, about 7. I find that if you're firmly the captain of your own ship, people don't really often stop you to question you about the way you're sailing. Just cut your swath through life in the shape of whatever form you happen to be in. Change what you cannot accept, and do not accept what you can't change.

 

I've been in the hobby since about 2001. I ordered my first dolls directly from Volks Japan as a graduation gift to myself. I was independently wealthy most of my high school and college life-- I was an emancipated minor, with a stable monthly income with virtually no bills beyond my rent--so I bought myself things.
I never really cared about societal norms. I, for example, just left my day-job to pursue artistic work. All of my friends--and even my mother-- know I've got a vested interest in BJDs; my mother also understands the amount of money that can be made through customization services.

 

hahaha You're splendid! I think its strange that people are conditioned to surrender themselves into the "norm" just to appease people they may or may not know.

 

When I was in high school I collected comics (super hero comics, XMEN FTW!!!), something that girls just didn't do...When I would go into a comic store, the men would fall all over themselves to help me because, dear god, a girl came into their shop. This didn't really change through college and even after. I also collected action figures and other comic related merch. At first I did try to hide this fact...I went to a private all girls school and as you might know, girls can be nasty. After a while I stopped caring about what people thought of my comic collecting, and realized that no one did either XD

When I started collecting dolls, it was with the same comic attitude of "who cares". None of my friends even knew what a BJD was, nor would they ever want one. They are well aware I collect them and they don't care. We still hang out and do stuff and I don't shove my dolls in their faces. I really can't see the point in hiding things from people, it's just too stressful XD

 

When I was in high school, I wasn't the popular kid, but everyone thought I was (I only found this out in recent years). I was into everything except for sports, so people actually thought that I was cool and popular, even though I thought I only had one or two friends. Wish I'd know that then!

These days, the only thing that's changed is that I know that I'm considered cool and popular (in my professional life, I'm, ah, somewhat famous). But part of the reason why is because I'm quite open about my different hobbies, and I've shown that I have range and diversity in my styles and interests. It's a weird thing to realize that part of what makes you "cool" to people is being interesting and owning it and not being afraid of doing different things. Who knew that having blue and green hair, weird goth makeup, and wearing corsets would make me more approachable and likeable by a bunch of academics??

In high school, it's probably a bit harder, since kids are quick to judge things that aren't part of the norm, but I would hazard that even the cool kids would be interested in people who are a bit different - they're just afraid to admit it, since they think that they'd be ridiculed by the clique. In college, though, I think you're safer, since everyone's trying to figure out what they like, and are a lot more forgiving and open-minded.

That was a long-winded way to advise folks to be themselves

 

Oh, everyone knows about Basil! i take him and show him off everywere

 

I guess I'm pretty popular in school, but not because I keep my dolls a secret. Any of my friends that have been to my house know I own dolls but it's not like I go around the school halls parading my love for them.
Ultimately though, if someone can't accept the fact that I collect dolls, then they're not worth my time.

 

I fell into this hobby time after I finished all my studies, including University. But although I have never been in that situation about BJD, I may imagine which my attitude would had been about it in that case. I had other hobbies, that I still do, which could bring similar reactions to the mentioned ones from others. I never care about it. Then and now, with the people I interact with nowadays, my goal is not being popular, it is just being myself and the ones who really care about me will take me as I am. This, the resin hobby, comes in the pack of who I am as I like it.

 

It helps that I got into BJD really late, 6 yrs into my working life where I am way past the phrase of caring what people think. However, my love of manga/anime started when I was in high school and I am someone who never had the filter system in me.... I tend to rant on happily about my obsessions. I never cared much about what others think. Closer friends are well aware of my niche hobbies (Yaoi, anime, manga and now BJDs). They do not share them but they do humour me once in a while when I am ranting on excitedly. In fact, most of my friends are highly amused at this set of seemingly-mismatched hobbies as on the other hand, I was a party animal and will fit the stereo-typical image of someone who scorns at geeks, nerds and the likes.

Peers at work found it harder to accept BJDs initially. It does not help that I work in one of the most pragmatic industry (banking). Peers are busy chasing flashy cars, latest bags/watches, buying properties and here I am, gushing over my crew of resin and getting frustrated over little things like not being able to decide the wig color for my latest boy. They still do not understand but they have accepted. Now, when I have a pissed-off look on my face or is seen screaming over the phone, they know that its most probably my doll stuff went missing in mail. And I get doll stuff as pressies now for ocassions like Xmas and birthdays.

 

I don't keep it a secret per se, more just that it doesn't come up.
I'm not popular anyway and have very few friends who I trust (being at Uni is an incredibly lonely experience for me, thank goodness for my boyfriend) and I'm happier with my own company.

It is a real blessing when I can meet up with ither dolly people though; I'm just sadder that I don't know more of them!

 

I didn't get into BJD's until I was about 22, and by then I was working. I cannot remember if I shared any information about my hobby with any work colleagues...hmm.. anyway, nearly 6 years on I still collect and if the subject comes up then I'll tell people. My best friend I met through meets and fortunately she and her hubby-to-be only live 5 minutes away, so it was a very happy coincidence. My partner accepts them, and so do my family. My mother collects them too now!

I think from what I have read here about people who were interested when they were teenagers and now do not care- this sounds a little bit more like simply growing up and you tend to care a little less about what people may think, and the social groups you mix with- instead become comfortable with who you are.

There wasn't so much of a 'popular kids/not cool' divide at my school- not sure if that is a British thing? I just generally got on with my own life, I had friends within and outside school; not sure I would have cared what people would've thought. When I was 16 I was into vampires! (hides of embaressment)

 

I'm in high school right now and all of my friends know about my dolls (partly because I never stop talking about them XD). I'm still new the hobby, but I feel like I've had my dolls my entire life.

Some of my friends think my dolls are really interesting (one is looking into buying one for herself), and others think they're stupid and a waste of time and money, but that doesn't change the way that I love my friends or my dolls.
Now my friends seem to have become accustomed to hearing about my dolls and they just deal with it. Some of them are slowly becoming more and more interested as the initial shock wears off, too.

And I definitely wouldn't consider myself part of the 'popular crowd', I'm very much an 'artsy' kid.