Done

[Prince Ikari]

Not much changed when I hit 21. It was like any other birthday for me. I never went out drinking or anything like that, and to this day I have never drank even the smallest drip of alcohol. The only major thing that happened was some conflict with the hospital I had been going to, which was a children's hospital, but besides that it was like any other birthday for me. I went out to Outback and had my usual New York Strip and French Fries, and had and ice cream cake with my family. Same as always.

You are not the only one who grew up on Gaia. I think a lot of us grew up up here. I joined back in 2006 when I was 15 years old, and now I am 22 years old. I have many wonderful and not so wonderful memories of Gaia. I have made friends who mean the world to me, and have seen best friends come to past. The first person I ever dated was someone I met up here all the way in another country, and the person I am dating now ironically is someone I met up here as well. I spent much of my free time and still do today up here. It is not so much that Gaia influenced me, so much as it was the people I met up here who have. I have always been very socially awkward in the real world and had few friends, but this site allowed me to make plenty of good friends, friends whom I shared much in common with. At least anime and video games that is. I still disagree with my friends up here on political matters but that is to be expected. And they know I can be strongly opinionated, but they still stick with me anyways, and know that I am always here for them.

There were times when I wanted to quit Gaia when things got rough with a few friends of mine, but I am glad I have still stayed here. This is my online home, and not just because I own a virtual home up here either. My closes friends are up here, my sister is up here, the woman I love is up here, the people I argue and debate with are up here, acquaintances I occasionally chat and post with are here as well. I have deleted very little over the years, and still have messages that trace back to this time back in 2008. It brings back nostalgia. That or going back and reading over my 15,406 comments. When I do I see my teenage years fly before my eyes. I also laugh when I think that I use to talk so much with other people too. My dream use to be to try and get the most comments on Gaia, because I always had far more than any of my friends.

And my account has not stayed the same. For a long time I was kh.ikari, then became Prince Ikari. I changed my avatar's gender from male to female, and thus it remains. And I have gone from a high of I think 60 something friends to now down at 40. Of course the number fluctuates, and my ignored list itself was full at one point, before I made amends and became friends with many users who I once fought with up here. Though I do have some enemies, particularly from the ED, In the News, and Politics forums who hate my guts and would rather see me dead, but oh well. You cannot make friends and be peaceful with everyone I suppose.

But all in all Gaia has become a place where I can be me, fit in with others, and discuss things of interests. I live in a hick town and no one even knows what anime is. I could not discuss anime until I joined this site and found lots of users who loved anime too. And of course I discuss video games up here also. Halo and Pokemon being the two biggest ones. The first person I played Halo with on Xbox Live was a user I became friends with up here. Of course I got my a** kicked because I had never played multiplayer Halo before, but now I am a beast at it, and play with family. Without Gaia, my life would suck. Gaia helped me through rough periods like when I was first diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, and helped me when I was suicidally-depressed years ago. I can't see myself leaving anytime soon. I have been here for seven years, and ought as well make it seven years more.

Anyways, do have a nice 21st birthday, and if you do drink, stay safe and do not drink and drive.

[Abisian]

I grew up on here as well; I joined way back in 2003 when it was still go-gaia. xD How things have changed .. ; _;

[Snuffii]

I really don't like growing up! It makes me worry about having to become responsible.. I don't like to be reminded that another year has gone by.

Gaia has influenced me by.. hmm.. It has probably helped me to understand that I can be bonkers and crazy and not worry about being one of the weird girls at school when I was still in education. It helped me realise that the world is full of strange and interesting people that have the same thoughts and feelings as I do.

If I could go back in time.. then I would probably make myself be more involved with the forums and events in the past years. I have always been too shy about posting in forums, let alone creating a topic. I don't know why.. I regret that a lot.

I also would have stopped myself from disappearing for two years. I have lost a lot of friends and I no longer come online much :c It's sad.


However I still have met some awesome people. Great contacts for travelling......

Happy Birthday also, I can't remember when this topic was made. I'm not 21 yet but will be soon... terrified but looking forward to a brilliant party wink

[Xedhadeaus]

I am 21.
Nothing changed.

[CH1YO]

I don't actually remember my 21st, it probably wasn't a big deal. Go figure.