Fangirl's Guide: Welcome To The Club

Whether you know it or not, you're a Fangirl. Every girl is. You could be squealing about bands, brand of clothes, shoes, a tv show, a book, or a comic; you are a fangirl. It's okay. Welcome to the Fangirl club. Ignore the screams; they're a good sign (Usually).

Orientation

What are fangirls? Google had the answer: A female fan, especially one who is obsessive about comics, movies, music, or science fiction.

However to translate this in a way that doesn't make us seem insane: fangirls are fans who are girls. It's really that simple.

And it's really not.

Now that you have joined the club, you are going to see all the different sides of fangirls. Sides we hide from anyone who is not a fellow fangirl. Dark, scary sides.

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But first lets discuss how you are going to be seen now that you are a Fangirl.

How society sees you (The fangirl)

When people picture fangirls, they tend to get the wrong idea. Typically the one above. While this is, sometimes, correct, most of the time Fangirls are pretty normal. We are not scary. We are not rabid. We are awesome. We are all powerful. We are Ride and Die: there is no Or.

We get a bad reputation.

How your family sees you (The Fangirl)

The above picture is a very accurate. Your family loves you. They just think you're an overzealous fan. GOOD! Let them think this. Because it means they don't realize the truth... not yet.

The truth is: You're insane.

You have spent hours and hours, days, months, YEARS dedicated to your fandom. I am huge Harry Potter and Doctor Who Fangirl.

In fact I have been a Harry Potter fangirl since I was 11. I'm 24 now. I have spent over a decade all but worshiping at an altar dedicated to Harry Potter. I was there for the hype, the haters, the midnight book releases, the midnight movie premiere. I wore the costumes, wrote and read the fanfiction. I am expert in all things Potter. Fear me!

If my family knew exactly how much time I spent on all things Harry Potter related; i'd been in a straight jacket by the time I was thirteen.

So fair warning: Ease back on your craziness. Or the men in the white coats will come for us.

How your friends see you (The Fangirl)

My friends are fellow geeks, luckily. We bond over all things Marvel, DC, and Yugioh. However, they are just fans. I'm a fangirl. There is a difference.

Even regular fans will eventually get bored of talking about what they like. Fangirls NEVER WILL. It can cause problems, primarily with my best friend. (Note the above picture).

Mostly because I know better than to fangirl out around just anyone. My bestie's used to it. If she has ditched or killed me by now, she never will. (Cue evil laughter: MUAHAAAAAAA).

It's not that i'm ashamed. It's that I like to get people ensnared in the web of my overwhelming niceness and friendliness before I freak them the hell out.

Beginning stages of a friendship with me:

New Friend: Hey did you see Captain America: Winter Soldier yet

Me: (Internally screaming) Yeah, dude that fight scene was awesome. I'm about to go get some ice cream. You want anything; it's on me.

Friendship with me after a while:

Good friend: I can't believe you dragged me to the midnight premiere of Batman V Superman. We have work at 6:00 am tomorrow.

Me: Fuck work! NOW WHO DO I HAVE TO KILL TO GET A FUCKING ROBIN IN A BATMAN MOVIE

Meeting with other fangirls

horokyun

I didn't meet another fangirl until I went to my first Comic Con. Believe it or not, the above picture is extremely accurate. At Comic Con, I met all six. Now that you are in the club, it's time to sort you. Sadly we don't have a talking hat (...YET!)

The ones you will definitely meet first:

The Allrounder Girl: She likes a little a bit of everything but isn't extreme about any one fandom.

The Hardliner: They are very into their own fandom. They fangirl about that one fandom. And They want you to drink their kool-aid. (Warning: Beware of Supernatural Hardliners)

The Shipper: You can't escape them. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE. Don't argue over their ship.

The Godmother: Nice fangirls who are there to welcome you, guide you, answer all your questions. We are happy you are here. (Secretly tries to convert everyone into a fangirl). The godmother: Yes, you should definitely binge watch the entire series of Avatar the Last Airbender. Who needs sleep?

The one you'll eventually meet:

The HARDCORE: She watches, rewatches, reads, and reads again, knows things no one should know. They talk about it all the time. She embraces every stereotype of a fangirl.

The one you'll never meet:

The Undercover: They are still fangirls, still true fans. They love talking about their fandom. They love writing about it. In the world of fangirls, the Undercovers are secret agents. The only kind of fangirl that will ever be consider normal.

You don't have to decide now. In fact you can be re-Sorted any time. After all I thought I was a Gryffindor or Ravenclaw for a long time, only time to find out I'm a Slytherin after using the first Pottermore sorting quiz.

Sixteen-year-old ME: You BROKE MY HEART, J.K Rowling

Twenty four-year old ME: God damned right i'm a Slytherin. Now someone give me the dark mark.

After Orientation

Now that Orientation is almost over, you will be fully commissioned as one of us. Which will result in you facing the dark sides of being a fangirl. Which is...

Fangirl's dark side

...This

Or this

Orientation... Over

Go... be free. Change the world. Know you are not alone!

Fanboy Orientation

Fangirls: We know you exist. We will find you.