A Look Back On My Time Here in 2017

cjWriter1997 Let me take you back to summer of 2015. I was some random teenager, lurking in the internet, where I signed up to this here website. Initially, I just wanted to make lists, unaware of anything involving this site's community. I started with what I liked most, music. Mostly Linkin Park and some other bands. Then comes 2016, a bad year for the world. A great year for me. 2016 was a life-changing year for me personally and it also was the year I started to really become interested in this site. My tastes began to change, my interest in music bloomed further within the site and I started to become more of myself here.
Looking back on this past year, that initial spark that lit in 2016, has bursted into one of hell of a flame for the year 2017. So much has happened with my time being here. My music tastes have rapidly changed, with a lot of thanks to be given to this site. My love for video games has now been a fun expansion to my time here. My overall personality has slowly seeped into it's full form on here as well. This year has been pleasantly good for me, regarding this site. Never would I've assumed that I would do so much here when I first joined in mid-2015.

In this post, I want to take a look back at some of the highlights of this year. A fond insight on what exactly happened throughout this entire year. There's a lot to go through, so let's just jump right into it, shall we?

First off, just to get it over with, let's take a look at some of my biggest statistical achievements that I've reached this year. In 2017, not only did I hit the 100 mark, but also the 200 mark in my total amount lists created. I also as well, hit not only the 1K comments achievements, but the 2K comments as well. As for posts, I hit the 20 high quality mark and I broke past 150 followers as well. This was also the year where I got my first featutred list, "Top Ten Paul Beenis Games", which ironically was a joke list. But hey, I still got it.
As you can see, 2017 was a massive high point for my activity on the overall site.

The next part I want to discuss is my rise in activity in the community. No question, 2017 has been the biggest year for me community wise. It started back in late 2016, where I slowly was sucked into the whole music war debacle. This was the first case of "TTT drama" I had some part in. Granted, I wasn't really anything but a bystander that occasionally stepped in to say my opinions on things. Still, it was a pretty interesting experience that eventually led me to get more and more involved with the community. Then comes 2017, where things kick off fast. Shortly after the music war thingy, I started to grow some early friendships with some of the users on the site. I don't want to name off names, simply because this post isn't about them, but they know who they are. This then lead me getting into, what I would I say, was the most confusing and ridiculous mess I had stepped into, revolving around this site's community. And that of course, was BAND.

BAND was what really set my regular activity on this site. It's what really made me feel a part of this community. However, it was also the most eye-opening. Again not mentioning names, but there was a certain, how should I say it, "controversy" with a certain user that I had the indecency to witness. I had front row seats to the crapfest, due to being a part of BAND. I watched it all unfold. Luckily, I managed to avoid it as much as I could, remaining neutral until finally, I stepped myself in. This entire experience with this user and the drama surrounding everything, was truly interesting. Throughout this entire experience, my involvement with the community grew and now I would say I have a decent popularity here. Something I would've never expected beforehand. It's one of the reasons, despite it's flaws (or nitpicks), I still enjoy this site quite alot. I may not be as enthusiastic about it as I was then but I still enjoy my time spent on here.

I've made some really great friends, some I had never expected to be friends with. There are some genuinely cool people here that I'm glad to have the pleasure to meet. These people helped me improve and let me be myself a little more. Honestly, I sometimes wonder what I would be like if I had not stuck with this site in the first place. I'm not going to lie, this site has sometimes made me question myself. Like what exactly am I doing wasting my time here? This site is dumb. I think the answer is clear though for me. It's the fact that being a part of something, like this community, is in a way addicting. It feels good to be a part of something, even if it's a crappy community on a irrelevant website. It's the group mentality that this site centers on, the fact that we are all a part of this internet neighbourhood, arguing and bickering with one another over the most petty stuff. It makes you feel a bit more important in a way and that's hard to just let go sometimes. It's why I have no intention to leave completely. It just doesn't really feel necessary to me. I brought my own self into this, might as well enjoy the ride until it finally ends. I don't know, that's just me. There are people who can just pack their bags and move out. For me though, I'm comfortable in my place here. I don't really feel like moving out just quite yet.

If there is anything I have to add, is that through all the ups and downs, this site has really changed me for the better. There were certain things that I encountered here, that helped me in my personal life, and vice versa. I enjoy making posts, although I feel like reviewing, overall, is overdone and just not something I plan on doing unless it's about something I really care about. Every now and then, I can rack up a decent post here or there. That's how I like it right now. I still got Tales from Elite City, that I'm still doing (just on a much slower schedule than expected :P). As for lists, just going to continue doing my thing. Maybe I should make another high quality joke list for the year 2018. As for now, my activity on this site is probably going to remain the same.

Lastly, I just want to thank the users that I would consider friends and those who support me for whatever reason. It's nice to get noticed sometimes. I especially appreciate the nomination for "Most Underrated User". I'm not one to praise my ownself a lot so thanks for doing it for me I guess. *raises glass* Here's to 2018 and whatever crap comes flying next. I'll be sure to have front row seats for it next time. And as always thanks for stopping by and have a good day! :D

Comments

You're welcome, you seem to have earned that distinction according to the peers. - visitor (12/1/2017)

Good post - LarrytheFairy (12/1/2017)

10/10. Might not be surpassed as post of the month. - Skullkid755 (12/1/2017)

A positive post from someone in the community.

*Choir Singing Intensifies* - DCfnaf (12/1/2017)

Fist bumps homie - TwilightKitsune (12/2/2017)

The music war thing... sorry - visitor (12/6/2017)

Hey don't beat yourself up for it, it's the past. Besides because of it all it made the site more interesting to me. So thanks I guess - cjWriter1997 (12/6/2017)

"There are some genuinely cool people here that I'm glad to have the pleasure to meet. These people helped me improve and let me be myself a little more."

And then there’s me. ;( - DCfnaf (12/19/2017)

Hey no self deprecation allowed here.
You're awesome bud - cjWriter1997 (12/19/2017)

Thanks dude. You’re awesome as well.

It’s been nice getting to know you here bro. - DCfnaf (12/19/2017)

Hey man it been three years how you holding up - NuMetalManiak (1/27/2020)