What I’ve Learned From My Fandoms
Here’s the thing about me: When I get into a new fandom, I really get into it. I can’t help it —the story, the characters, the world (yes, even if it’s realistic fiction) draws me in. And for one simple reason: most times, it’s better than reality.
I have been in and out of many interests as I’ve grown up. Some have been longstanding passions, others just mere footnotes that spiced up my life. But they definitely taught me stuff. They taught me about life, about myself…and failing all that, about how to engage in future fandoms.
So let’s dive right in, shall we? (Don’t answer that).
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
I’ve been in the CATCF fandom since the 2nd grade, but at some point (Probably at around grade 10), I slowly became disinterested in it. It was a bittersweet feeling — knowing that I’d grown out of my years-long security blanket, but also realizing that cooler things were in store for me.
The impact of this story on my life cannot be overstated. It shaped who I was. It probably says a lot about me that I never cared about Charlie or the other kids — who I really cared about was Wonka. Everyone likes to look at his actions and ask ‘Hey so what if Wonka was actually evil or a serial killer? Look at what he’s put the kids through and all the OSHA violations in his factory!’. And they have a point! But I always saw him as a sympathetic figure. To me, he was just a curious, excited chocolatier who loved his work and wanted to pass it on to the right person.
But this story also gave me a safe haven. It was a comforting ritual to see new adaptations or to re-read the book — seeing Charlie’s family in horrid poverty, then seeing him win the famous golden ticket and going into the factory, each of the kids getting their just desserts, and Charlie winning the factory at the end. In a world filled with bullies, anxieties, and the unknown, the world of Willy Wonka’s factory was always fun to return to.
This fandom taught me to be a good, kind person and to appreciate karma when it strikes, but it also told me to embrace my weirdness and my passions. And I’ll forever appreciate it for that.
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S
This fandom didn’t really teach me anything about dealing with the real world that I didn’t already know. It just taught me how to engage with other fandoms.
This fandom honestly taught me about how sometimes fans know better than the producers of the original media(or can be more open about certain ideas than them), and so it’s OK to make up fix-fics in your head as a way of coping. It also taught me that it’s better to make any fanart or headcannons than none at all, because that just leaves nothing for others to enjoy. And lastly, it taught me that it’s OK to stay in a fandom that’s ‘too young for you’. And by that I mean that it’s OK to enjoy that media until you get bored of it.
The Tales of Miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir
Now that I’ve talked about two fandoms I’ve been in for years, let’s now move onto fandoms I’ve merely dipped my toes into.
I briefly — note, briefly — entered the MLB fandom during the lockdown, and then exited it. Then, when the 6th season came out, I entered it again, but merely as an outsider who didn’t connect much with the world and characters.
And oh my god I’m so lucky I didn’t get into it as I did with CATCF and Z-O-M-B-I-E-S. The show should, honestly, only be touched with a 10 foot pole. Everyone who contributes to the fandom should be paid actual money for still being part of it. They deserve it, after all — with the way season 6 is going, it looks like they’re the ones writing the show properly!
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Anyways, This fandom has taught me to engage critically with the media I love so that you don’t get your heart broken too much. Even the media that has changed your life has its flaws. Honestly, that’s a pretty important message, I think.
Ace Attorney
I’ve been part of this fandom for only a few months before quietly becoming less interested in it. But I adored it while I was a part of it, and now, I still kinda like it.
Anyway, this fandom has taught me many things. For instance, BL and GL ships (even the non-canon ones) are always the best and can be surprisingly comforting. Shouting ‘OBJECTION!’ at the top of your lungs can be fun (I still have to try it, though). And most importantly, Stories that should be straightforward on the surface end up taking you to some wild places.
Like, c’mon, Ace Attorney. I signed up for a silly lawyer game, not to end up in a legal boss battle against a member of the royal court of a kingdom that practices the art of spirit channeling. I did not recall signing up to solve a robotic, traumatic, and way too bloody murder. And I did not recall signing up to send an evil spirit back to the underworld with the help of my dead mentor! (Although AA fans can agree that moment was freaking epic).
The Addams Family/Munsters
I used to really love The Addams Family in the 7th grade. I was in my goth phase, and I was really embracing it. I loved reading about the history of Jack O’ Lanterns, I changed my profile picture to match my new love, and I started watching indie horror content. Obviously, as someone who struggles with anxiety issues, I was very picky about the kind of indie horror content I consumed. But the ones I did, I did come to love somewhat.
I’m actually nostalgic for those days, and I think it’s because back then I knew this would be a short-term thing. Like, it didn’t feel like it at the time, but I kinda knew. And so I decided to go all in and have plenty of fun while at it. One of my ways of doing so was watching the two Addams Family movies and some episodes of the original series.
And when it ended, I wasn’t too disappointed. And besides, it was getting too toxic for me to stay there forever (Because even my hand-picked indie horror ended up being too much for me).
I think the lesson I’ve learned is that just because a passion of yours is ‘just a phase’ doesn’t make it less valid. If anything, this passion won’t last forever, so might as well go all in on it, right?
And as for Addams Family/Munsters…eh, I don’t remember anything specific. The two movies were great, and the series was pretty OK. But I don’t remember a lot about being in this fandom. Which is not what I can say for my other interests.
The Next Step
This now brings me to my most recent and new consuming interest — The canadian dance drama series, The Next Step.
What started out as me fangirling over the actor Trevor Tordjman and wondering ‘hey, I wonder what other stuff he’s done’ has now lead me to fangirling over Brittany Raymond, his wife Jordan Clark, and loving almost every character in the series.
It took me some time to get here. The first time I checked it out, I was like ‘Well, I’m not good at dancing, so I don’t really understand what’s happening!’ and so I left it at episode one. This kept happening every time I returned to the series, until finally I got it. I think episode 4 was the turning point for me — the moment I finally figured out ‘Ohhhhhh! Now it’s getting good!’.
I ship the unofficial-but-sorta-official main ship of this show — James x Riley, or Jiley. Their dynamic in season 1 had me hooked. Too bad it got slightly worse in later seasons. And that’s without mentioning the infamous season 4. But I still like it because they sorta fixed it in later seasons, but I also like it for The Vibes. And weirdly enough, that hasn’t stopped me from acknowledging other valid (albeit unofficial) ships involving them too.
This fandom honestly taught me to have fun with the fandom. Like, really have fun. If you decide that you like the main couple but also love alternate pairings with those characters, you do you! If you decide that you like a ship that isn’t canon — Still keep doing you! You’re in a fandom to have fun, first and foremost, so have fun however you want!
And so this brings my article to its conclusion.
Overall, I think that all of these fandoms, however little time I’ve spent on them, have given me a little shelter. Every time I’ve felt like the world is too much, I can always just return to that little world they’ve provided. Whether it’s the wonders of a chocolate factory, the slow burn romance of James and Riley and the chaos of The Next Step, or even the vitrolic enjoyment I have in bashing MLB, those worlds are comforting to be in. And I hope one day that the stories I write to comfort myself…may one day comfort someone else too.
