Being a Fan Makes Your Life Happier

Hellos & Hellos,

Let’s be honest here. I have always loved things in a very fun-obsessive way.

Imagine this: You pick up a book, you click on a link, you buy tickets to a movie, or you listen to a song. Either out of curiosity, someone insists you join them, or you just happen to organically stumble upon it. At first, you are completely oblivious to what is waiting for you until you hear, read, or watch something for the first time.

And suddenly, just for a split second- time stops.

You blink. Wait, what is this?

Eyes narrow with rapt attention, and suddenly you develop an unusual sense of focus. You are so presently captivated by this… this thing. And you have absolutely no idea why.

But it resonates with something inside you. Something so transportive, so new, the only way to decipher what you are feeling is by listening, watching, or reading it again.

Completely amused with yourself, you pause to process what just happened. Where did this even come from? And why is it so good? And why do I like it so much?

That, my friend, is what it feels like when you discover your interests for the first time. And suddenly, life is never the same.

In a fantastic way.

Early fandom fascinations

The earliest memories I have of things that I completely fell in love with were books, anime, and video games. Rurouni Kenshin, Sonic Adventure 2, The Babysitters Club, Final Fantasy, Franklin, Skies of Arcadia- I mean, the list would go on.

Oh, you’d think I was casually appreciating good art and story as an imaginative child. But oh no. I loved what I loved, and I wanted everyone to know it, too.

Immersing yourself with fun media from the safety of your home or the privacy of your mind is one thing. But me? One of the most appreciative parts of baby me was that I wasn’t afraid to show it, either.

I would do as much as to collect photos online, use PPT to make a bookmark layout, print and laminate it for me to use. Or I would buy anime posters, stickers, and place them in carefully selected spots deemed worthy of my precious merch. (This was the dial-up internet era, so not as easily sourced and hence immensely treasured.)

When I liked something, I liked it with an intensity that, now, if I think about it, was a nice level of passion and zest to have as a kid. (My parents only wished it were for actual important things like sports or… math, ugh.)

This wasn’t coming from a place to show off how cool I am, or how I know all these trendy things. I just wanted to be surrounded by fandom-branded items that served as a constant reminder of how much fun I had when I played this game well into the early morning, read that book that changed my perception of life, or watched that anime that made me laugh and cry at the same time.

So no matter where I went or what I did, I was always carrying my joy with me.

(I know, baby me was really adorable.)

Novelty is really nice

Even now, if I think about it, being a fan of things in a healthy, enthusiastic way contributes to a feeling of newness that we all deeply lack in our adulthood sometimes.

As we grow up, not only do we have less time to discover things that we consider a novelty, but routine and responsibility take over, and things become mundane and boring.

But as kids, a lot of things in the world were still new and exciting. We had things to look forward to; we would jump up and down over ice cream for dinner. Things carried a special, magical sense of purpose that made life worth living.

And that is what being a fan of something can often do. It gives you something new and fascinating to get immersed in. It gives you back your lost childlike excitement and encourages you with a sense of adventure to do things just because it’s so much fun.

It gives you something refreshing to joyfully anticipate, that makes you wish time would go by faster, in the same way you couldn’t sleep as a kid when you knew you had a trip the next day. At the same time, when you feel fully captivated by something, you wish time would go slower so you can savour and bask in the moment for longer.

Active fandoms also give you a regular dose of that exciting novelty caused by a special launch or new album release that inevitably makes your day, week, month or even year.

Creating a creative

Being a fan is surely the best, earnest way for you to also be wonderfully inspired and discover facets of your own creativity that you didn’t even know existed.

For me, I was inspired to write my own stories using borrowed characters (it’s called fanfiction, dear) because it made it easier for me to spark my early imaginative years using pre-set character worlds. I was inspired to attempt drawing anime characters with big eyes and spiky hair and create comic panels to compliment the stories I would write. I wanted to either replicate what I saw and wholeheartedly feel like I was a part of this big beautiful imaginative universe, even if it was just through (bad) fanart.

Being a fan of different types of media brings up the intense courage to create something, let it be anything. And that can sometimes play an even more important role than being a fan in the first place. It makes you brave enough to want to recreate that mysterious inspiring feeling for others to experience when they see your own work.

Because sometimes the things you become a fan of resonate so deeply with you, the only way to express how you feel is to depict it through your own version of that art. And man, if you see fanart today, it is nothing short of amazing.

Passion drives purpose

Staying true to the things you like will also greatly help you stay authentic to yourself. At the heart of it, humans are passionate people. We like having a purpose, we like feeling like we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. One of the best parts of being in a fandom is being able to connect with others who feel the same way you do, inexplicably.

When a K-pop group wins an award, or when a sports team wins a trophy, fans celebrate it as much as the team. Like their happiness, by extension, is a win for you too. There is a euphoric feeling you get as a fan when the people you look up to have achieved a feat that was once thought impossible. You feel hopeful, excited, proud, and even, in a small way, bubble up a sense of hope that such a feat may be possible for you too.

Now, the best thing you can do is to take that passion and create some purpose out of it. For example, a type of BTS fandom organizes charities on every member’s birthday. Other fans see it as a sign to engage in their art or take up dancing and singing lessons. It doesn’t have to be artistic; some use that energy and get motivated to start a new project, a business ,or even just get fit and dress more confidently.

Let the passion of fandoms inspire you and use that to reenergize a part of yourself that you once thought was lost. I promise you, it can nearly change your perception of life.

The not so Fan-tastic side

Now I know labels like ‘fangirls’ or ‘fanboys’ or terms like ‘nerd’, ‘geek’ ,or whatever, have created such negative connotations that it almost makes people feel ashamed or embarrassed to express their likes openly.

Unfortunately, we have had people who have misrepresented us and tarnished the innocent creative essence of being a fan. We have had parasocial obsessed fans (sasaengs in Kpop), we have had fake fans to ride on popularity (people would add BTS to media titles for clickbait), and we have had rude fans who make you feel like you don’t deserve to be a part of the fandom if you are not chronically online and know everything there is to know.

The point being, there are a lot of people out there who will consider themselves better than you and the point of your fandom. The biggest disservice you would be doing to your creative, fun, fan-self is by letting them win. Or letting someone dictate the rules of what makes a ‘good’ fan.

For the sake of this post, we aren’t going to discuss unhealthy fandom behaviours, because the purpose here is to encourage you to let yourself be excited by something! And not letting anyone get in the way of how much you choose to let something bring you joy!

Everyone has their own unique reasons for liking something or for choosing to be a fan of something. All I’m saying is hold that personal, special meaning close to your heart, and let it bring you little bursts of happiness in a way only you can understand. It doesn’t have to be on display, as long as you’re letting it work its quiet magic to make your life just a teeny tiny bit better.

Fandoms find you

I know this sounds philosophic of me to say, but I believe you don’t choose your fandoms, your fandoms choose you. Almost like destiny. Because how can you explain that one fine day, in a world drowning in media and overconsumption, a book, a song, a video, a something found its way to your attention?

It’s your destiny to see something that brings on a highly stimulating, but inexplicable fascination. It’s your destiny to be able to relate to it in a way that can only be described as magic. Your fandoms are truly destined for you. They come into your lives unannounced and teach you how to be happier, live freely, get inspired, be hopeful, or even comfort you when you need it the most.

So when their purpose is done, don’t feel guilty when the interest slowly declines. It’s but natural. Hopefully, a new pathway opens up for another fandom to come find you.

And before anyone asks, no, you are not too old to explore the creative sides of yourself with the help of a fandom. No, you don’t have to be embarrassed about attending concerts or sticking photocards behind your phone and laptop. No, it is not too late for you to immerse yourself in any fandom of your choosing in a healthy and self-respecting way, and finally, NO, you are not wasting time.

Personally, I am a proud fan of a lot of things. Certain types of Anime, Fantasy video games, resonating non-fiction books, Asian lofi and EDM music, and of course, K-pop & KDramas.

This post was brought to you by an incredible week I had being an Army- Luné. Which is essentially a fan of both BTS and a Japanese boy group called &Team that recently had their Korean debut. Sandwiched between two concerts (sadly online, but still so fun), a new album, and so much new fun content, I think I had one of the best weeks this year with regards to both work and fandom bliss.

I am thoroughly enjoying all this without getting overwhelmed and neglecting being an adult with work responsibilities. In fact, knowing I have all these new things to explore makes me want to finish work quicker, or I get more inspired to do other things. The energy translates into something that’s both productive and meaningful.

It’s truly a feeling worth having at least once in your lifetime. And I wish you all could experience it in some shape or form, literally about anything. Don’t overthink it!

So finally, I encourage you all to become of a fan. Live every day with a little bit more fun and silly joy. Allow yourself to be excited in life again and genuinely be amazed by where it takes you.

You deserve it.

Now, if you will excuse m,e JK is (still!) live, the &Team members have a live listening party going at the same time, and I have some work I need to get done before their MV drops later. SO. MUCH. FUN!

To fun fandoms that make you grateful,

Niki :)