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Hey there! We’re about to dive into the wonderful world of community meet-ups and shared interests. We’ll chat about the special role of in-person events in our digital age. And, of course, I’ll share some stories as a Community Manager and give you a nudge as to why you might want to pop along to an event.
Human Connections and the Power of Meetups
Meet-ups, convention appearances, and hangouts are key aspects of building relationships among people. Humans are social creatures. What makes these meetups and organized events special is the human aspect of it. You can only say so much in a Super Chat or a Direct Donation message, but you have more room to express your thoughts and feelings in person. You can laugh, cry, rant, and absolutely nerd out in these settings.
Shared Interests and the Formation of Communities
From shared interests, you can find communities more easily or even form your own. Pokémon, for example, hit the United States in 1998. Kids would meet up with each other to watch the show, play the games, and even collect, trade, and play the TCG. The human aspect made these moments worth linking up.
The Strength of Communities and Their Impact
When communities are not united in interests, that fandom becomes weaker. People begin to leave, and that fandom ultimately falls. There’s no worse status for a community than for it to be labeled “Dead Community.”
The Relevance of Human Aspect in Virtual Presentations
Back in 2020, the pandemic kept hundreds of millions of people from engaging in their daily lifestyles, so DC launched ‘DC FanDome’ a virtual presentation. DC, however, discontinued the virtual presentation and returned to in-person presentations, stating, “With the return of in-person events, Warner Bros. Discovery is excited to be able to engage with our fans live at numerous comic-cons around the world and will not be scheduling DC FanDome for 2022.” This human aspect is key and DC understood that.
The Role of Community Management in Meetups
In my role as Community Manager, it remains an incredibly surreal and enriching experience to attend meetup events and engage in enlightening conversations with an incredible group of individuals hailing from various states and countries around the globe. The opportunity to interact, learn from, and share ideas with people from such a wide range of backgrounds and cultures is something I truly value. These moments of connection and shared understanding have quickly evolved from being mere occurrences to becoming a cherished tradition, a regular part of my duties that I look forward to with anticipation.
The Impact of Organized Events on Community Bonding
The structured and meticulously planned events serve as a central meeting point, a hub if you will, for a wide range of individuals whose interests intersect and align. These are the same people you’ve become familiar with through the various digital platforms. They’re the ones you continuously interact with in Eric’s lively chat rooms, in the bustling community of a Discord or Guilded server, or through the rapid-fire exchanges on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. Now, instead of interacting through screens and keyboards, they are standing right in front of you. They are reaching out to shake your hand in a gesture of real, physical connection, offering a warm, welcoming hug that transcends digital boundaries, or asking for a photo to capture and commemorate this shared moment in time.
The Importance of Attending an Event
I strongly suggest making a trip to an event, even just one. You may enjoy it enough to make another trip or you might not find that kind of social setting fun. One thing I can guarantee is that you’ll be glad you did, and you’ll appreciate the support from the community that welcomed you in from the beginning.
How Can You Meet Your Community?
I encourage you to take the leap and attend an event related to your interests. Connect with people face-to-face, share your thoughts, and build relationships. Remember, communities are built upon shared interests and human connections. Your involvement truly makes a difference. You never know, the next meetup could be the start of something truly special for you.
Do you want to connect with those in the Rippaverse? You can do so in a few ways, such as joining our Guilded server or finding us at local events such as Denver FanExpo. If you want to keep up with where to find us, we also have a newsletter (bottom of the main home page) that goes straight to you and keeps you in the know.
Stay great.
Remember: Some of our items are limited in quantity. If you want to be the FIRST to know of upcoming campaigns, exclusive deals and other Rippaverse news:
Remember: Some of our items are limited in quantity. If you want to be the FIRST to know of upcoming campaigns, exclusive deals and other Rippaverse® news:
