"But that's not even old.... is it?"

[wonderfinch]

A few days ago, someone mentioned in a conversation that they were "a pretty old member like [my]self." I've been around on Gaia since 2004, and I'm always up for reminiscing about the good ol' days on the site, so I hopped back over to the other user's profile to continue the conversation... and saw that they had joined 2007. Doesn't seem old at all, right...?

But I guess, if you think about it, that was 5 years ago, which is a fairly solid chunk of time to devote to a site. To someone who's been here 8 or 9 years, though, that doesn't seem old at all... it's about half the length of time I've been on Gaia. I generally don't consider Gaia accounts "old" unless they're from '03 or early '04. Heck, I don't even consider my own account that old.

It got me wondering.... for most Gaians, was '07 a long time ago? Is that '07 user actually "old" in Gaian terms, and am I just being crochety?

So, discuss:
- How long have you been around on Gaia? Do you consider yourself "old"?
- What do you consider "old" in Gaian terms? Do you even have a specific cutoff?
- Does the length of time someone's been on the site matter to you, or is their general personality and know-how more important?

[Lady Ouija]

It's so hard to believe that 2007 was 5 years ago. *________*

My original account, grynder, is from 05.
I sometimes use it to roleplay or store things.
Even though I've been a member since 05, I still
don't really feel like an "elder". Idk, it's weird.

I'd consider an 07er old though. That's 5 years
and like you said, a long time to dedicate yourself
to a virtual site.

Though, a lot of newer users are already a lot
more experienced than some older users. I
think it more or less depends on the maturity
of the user. If that makes sense? Haha.

[Lazarus Larkin]

Earlier today I read someone call 2008 "the early days" of Gaia, which just... blew my mind rofl

I really have a hard time thinking of anything after 2006 as "old"!

[Pumpkinfrost]

I don't know, age is relative. What seems old to one may not seem old to another. Some people have been around for a longer length of time than others...this really boils down to your perception of time, I guess.

[fish flu]

i believe a year spent on an internet site is a loooooooooooong time, so yes, somebody who joined in 2007 can be considered an "old" gaian.

[wonderfinch]

Lady Ouija

It's so hard to believe that 2007 was 5 years ago. *________*

My original account, grynder, is from 05.
I sometimes use it to roleplay or store things.
Even though I've been a member since 05, I still
don't really feel like an "elder". Idk, it's weird.

I'd consider an 07er old though. That's 5 years
and like you said, a long time to dedicate yourself
to a virtual site.

Though, a lot of newer users are already a lot
more experienced than some older users. I
think it more or less depends on the maturity
of the user. If that makes sense? Haha.

I agree, it's hard to think of your account as old.... I've been on since '04 and there are still many many moments where I feel like a derpy little newbie.

I agree that maturity and willingness to devote yourself to the site matter much more than the age of the account. There are many people who haven't been around as long as I have, but who I still consider authorities on different aspects of the site. Especially with all the resources available now, even a newbie can become an expert within a matter of weeks.

[wonderfinch]

Lazarus Larkin

Earlier today I read someone call 2008 "the early days" of Gaia, which just... blew my mind rofl

I really have a hard time thinking of anything after 2006 as "old"!

I saw that! It was so surreal to see that '08 is considered "old"... and even more surreal when you realize that, in the grand scheme of things, 4 years is pretty long time to be on an avatar site and might actually be pretty old XD

But the more I think about it, the more I feel like a crochety old woman trying to get these damn kids off my internet lawn, and ranting about the days when we didn't have these fancy RIGs and ZOMGs, and we had to post for our gold and walk three miles to the gold shop through year-round snow uphill, both ways.

[Myrielle]

It's time for me to reassess my life. Where did it all go?

[Milk Kittea]

This is my second account on Gaia & it was made in 2008. My first account was in 2005.
Even though I didn't stick around the first time, I still have very clear memories of the site.
I'm not really sure if this qualifies me as an oldbie or mid-timer, but I guess I feel old.
Part of that reason might be because I was so young the first time I signed up & now I'm 27.
A lot of time & a lot of memories have passed since 2005, both on Gaia & IRL.

It's a weird feeling!

The length of time someone has been a member of Gaia doesn't really phase me at all.
The maturity level of members is what usually affects me in one way or another.
Some newbies have such mature/adult personalities, & confidence, that I think they're oldbies.
It's very misleading... but in a good way, for sure.

[Lazarus Larkin]

It also depends on your age IRL though.. I mean, I'm 30. A year is 1/30th of my life. I've been on Gaia for 9 years (holycrap), which is 30% of my life, but if I'd joined when I was 13 then I'd be 22 now and would have spent over 40% of my life here...

[wonderfinch]

Myrielle

It's time for me to reassess my life. Where did it all go?

This is sometimes how I feel, looking at the amount of time I've been on this site. Where did all the time go? Wasn't 2007 yesterday?

Lazarus Larkin

It also depends on your age IRL though.. I mean, I'm 30. A year is 1/30th of my life. I've been on Gaia for 9 years (holycrap), which is 30% of my life, but if I'd joined when I was 13 then I'd be 22 now and would have spent over 40% of my life here...

........ I joined when I was 13, almost exactly 8 years ago.
I'm 21.
I've officially spent 62% of my life here.







God never mind this thread I'm just a grouchy person who's spent way too much of her time on Gaia.

[wonderfinch]

Milk Kittea

This is my second account on Gaia & it was made in 2008. My first account was in 2005.
Even though I didn't stick around the first time, I still have very clear memories of the site.
I'm not really sure if this qualifies me as an oldbie or mid-timer, but I guess I feel old.
Part of that reason might be because I was so young the first time I signed up & now I'm 27.
A lot of time & a lot of memories have passed since 2005, both on Gaia & IRL.

It's a weird feeling!

The length of time someone has been a member of Gaia doesn't really phase me at all.
The maturity level of members is what usually affects me in one way or another.
Some newbies have such mature/adult personalities, & confidence, that I think they're oldbies.
It's very misleading... but in a good way, for sure.

So funny- I guess it partially does depend on your perception of the passage of time! I was so young when I first signed up, but I don't feel much older now even though so many things have changed and so much time has passed.

I agree, I somehow tend to assume people with more maturity and confidence have been on the site (or at least the internet) for longer.... even if that's not the case. I'm more impressed by polite, literate individuals than I am by old items or an '03 join date. I know it's important to some people but as I recall, there were a lot of jerks around from '03-'05 and it's naive to assume only the "good people" have hung around.

[Ariana]

I've been on Gaia since January 2005, so yes I do consider myself an old-time member.
I would consider anyone here for 4+ years to be considered an old member. And I don't really care how long someone was a member of a site, as long as they're a good person, I'd talk to them. ^^

[Vincent Valentine-Jenova]

I hope you know, I had to stop and check to see what year I joined, because I DON'T believe I've been on this site that long...

but 2004. Holy s**t.

I guess, 2007 now is old. I can put that in to perspective for you a little bit.
Someone born in 2007 is now entering kindergarten.
So how the year doesn't seem that long ago, (Hell, sometimes I feel like 2002 was like, three years ago.) It really is.

[Lucidly]

I... didn't realize I was so old. Been here since 2004. I'll have been here 9 years early next year.

2007 still seems new to me because it used to be new a few years ago. My concept of time appears to be broken from being here so long. @_@