Fangirling 101: A Guide On How To Approach Fandom
Dipping your toe into fan culture for the first time? Consider this guide Ground Zero!
Fangirling can be considered a multitude of things – a hobby, an experience, a lifestyle. How you define fangirling is strictly up to you, but whether you’re lured in from a single song, an artist’s discography, or a TV series, becoming a part of a fandom can feel like stepping into a whole new reality.
As someone who has been in multiple fandoms over the course of 10+ years and has experienced it all first-hand, whilst self-proclaiming that I’m a life-long fangirl, I can start off by saying that no two experiences are the same. Some fandoms can pull you in slowly, and others all at once. Fandoms can consume your thoughts, time, and yes, even your wallet.
What may start as a casual interest can quickly turn into something way deeper, like late-night deep dives whilst doom scrolling on social media, emotional attachments, and sometimes even parasocial relationships.
You might be thinking: Is this healthy? Well, it can and should be. That’s why one important thing to know when becoming a part of a fandom is learning how to balance and navigate this new lifestyle you’ve quickly adapted to.
First off, it’s totally fine to say an artist or public figure is your idol. Maybe they’ve inspired you through their music, their books, their acting or even outside of that, maybe it’s their personality that you admire. Whichever one it is, it’s really important to keep in mind and be self-aware that we actually don’t know these people in real life. We only see what they want us to see. It’s obviously healthy to realise that, at the end of the day, they are humans just like us.
Sure, we get excited and feel all kinds of emotions when the person we idolise does something like releasing an album, a book, a new project, or something we may think is revolutionary to the fandom we are in. But at the end of the day, they are people, too. I believe that once you recognise this, your approach to fangirling and being in one fandom or ten fandoms can make stan culture feel a whole lot easier and a lot more grounded.
The art of balance
Another important thing to be aware of when being part of a fandom is that it’s fundamental to ensure being a fan does not consume or interfere with your daily life and responsibilities. You must accept that it’s ok if you aren’t the first person to consume the new content your idol released. Life comes first.
If you’re currently in school, whether you’re working on getting your degree or trying to aim for all A’s, try not to skip class or neglect your studies for new releases. At the end of the day, the new album, book, or episode will always be there for you to enjoy. If you need to buy concert tickets or purchase something that’s limited? Try other alternatives, like checking if a family member or a friend is available to help.
As a fangirl, I totally understand having the urge to be the first at listening to new releases or to be able to access social media to receive constant updates happening in the fandom in real time. But the responsibilities that your real life brings have to outweigh that urgency. Learning how to balance both fangirling and real, day-to-day life is key to ensuring that you can enjoy fan culture for fun instead of feeling overwhelmed by it. Which leads me to my next point.
Our ‘always-on’ culture can lead to burnout
Fandoms and stan culture as a whole are all fun and games until they become too much and feel like you’re on the verge of burning out. It’s essential to remind yourself that fangirling is supposed to be fun and exciting, and not something that negatively impacts your mental health, self-worth, sleep, or emotional stability. It can be very easy to feel drained by being doom-scrolling all day, or getting caught up in comparisons in online spaces, engaging in fan wars or online discourse that can take away the enjoyment of something that is meant to bring happiness, fun, and lightheartedness.
This is why it’s important to take breaks. In fact, I highly recommend it. Whether you deactivate for a week, step outside and get some fresh air with a friend to get some coffee, go on a walk, limit time on social media, or create boundaries – whatever works for you personally, can be helpful. It’s not only essential for your mental health, but also your overall well-being.
Trust me, I say all of this from experience, as I’ve been in the position at times where I would question my self-worth if I felt like I wasn’t dedicated enough to the fanbase I was in because I didn’t attend every tour stop or I wasn’t the biggest fan of an album, or if I wasn’t a fan of an artist as long as someone else was.
But the truth is, none of that should matter, and should not determine your value as a fan. At the end of the day, fandoms are meant to support the artist, author, actor, whoever it is, in their work. Fangirling and being a part of a fandom is about bonding with others and finding joy whilst creating friendships and memories, not the opposite.
What to expect in your new fandom
One of the first things that you’ll realise is that participation in fan culture is so much more than just being a part of a new community. It’s an entire online culture built around shared interest and communication, and the people who are a part of it truly make what the fandom is.
Being in a fandom, you’re no longer only consuming content, but you’re also participating in it. Some of the fans become creatives themselves by writing fan fiction, drawing fan art, and posting fan-edits on social media platforms. Some enjoy posting memes or sharing fan theories. This kind of participation makes being in a fandom fun and unique, and allows fans to feel like they are contributing to something bigger than themselves, even if that contribution is creating and sharing something they love.
When joining your first fandom online, you may feel a bit uncertain about how to interact with other fans. Maybe you’re starting your account from scratch and have very few followers, but it’s important to remember that you can have just as meaningful a contribution as someone with over 1000 followers. As you begin to interact with others more, you’ll feel more immersed in the community. You’ll realise your presence is still valid in the fandom, and there is no correct level of engagement, even if you’re a like and repost type of person.
As long as you’re respectful to others, you’ll be welcome into the fandom with open arms. Fandom spaces tend to thrive on shared excitement and focus more on connecting with others with similar interests rather than dissecting who is a big account versus who isn’t. So join in on the fun, even if it does seem a little intimidating at first.
Another point to also add– being a fangirl can become part of your identity that transcends being in a fandom only as just an interest. For some people, including myself, it’s not only about supporting a public figure and their work, but discovering what they enjoy, what they feel drawn to creatively and what they can see themselves doing in the future. I’ve learned that being a fangirl can be useful in scenarios where you are unsure of what career path you might align with.
For example, if you find yourself creating fan video edits, you’re actively building skills that you can place on your resume, which could land roles in content creation or marketing, even. Are you a fan-fiction writer or enjoy writing down your thoughts about a new album release? Perhaps you’re actively tweaking your writing skills that could aid in finding jobs as a writer or journalist. Enjoy singing covers of your favourite artists’ music or learning how to play an instrument using songs from your favourite artist? Maybe you’ve decided you want to start a band or become a solo act. Participating in a fandom can reveal patterns of what you enjoy most, which can be helpful in the long run.
The most important thing about approaching fandom and fangirling is to have fun and enjoy yourself. At its core, it’s about enjoyment and connection with those you share the same interests with. They both can provide a sense of community and belonging whilst finding your craft, exploring who you are as a person and inspiring your creativity. As long as you’re being mindful of when to step back if things get a bit chaotic, and you join whatever community it is you want to be a part of with good intentions, surely without a doubt, you will enjoy your time as a fangirl in your fandom of choice.
