I wanted to ask you guys about your ages. When I played Gaia actively (2006-2009) I was 13 though 16 for age. That seemed about average, and anyone over 25 was a surprise. Anyone over 30, we called mom and dad. Now I'm 21 (account reactivation and all that jazz) I notice that the average age is higher than it used to be.
Why is this? Did the average age raise as the "original" members did? What caused the shift? I'm not complaining, but as I wasn't here to see it, I'm curious.
I know there was a thread similar on the LD forum, but I wanted to get responses in a different way. That thread asked about limits for age. What I want to know is...what are your experiences here on Gaia that are age related? How has your age, or the age of Gaians impacted your experience?
Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:47 pm
I am 33, I joined in '09 at the age of 29. I was checking out safe sites for kids under 10, and the site came up. I made an account to have a look-see around, and found it wasn't safe for my kids under 10, but I got sucked into the forums, and I actually made a couple of friend in ZOMG the first night.
Within the first month I found several people near my age (mostly a couple years younger a couple a bit older)... Most of them got into the site the same way I did, they were scouting sites for their kids, or they had made accounts to keep up with their kids and got sucked into being active.
Then I discovered the M&R forums, and that was a whole other ballgame. There were allot of people in their mid 20's there. Several of those people were here when the site started in '03 and had just never outgrew the site.
Really though, there are areas of Gaia that seems to be where the young folk primarily hang out, and areas where us older people congregate. Of course there are several mingling spots...
I have met a couple of people in their late 60's and early 70's even, who joined because of their grand-kids. There are a lot of 25-40 year olds on the site, but I think the majority of people here are in their mid to late teens and early 20's.
Several of the geezers who have been here since '03 are dropping off because of the cash drive that seems to be taking over. In fact, I have been added to a couple of FB secret groups now for people who are quitting Gaia because the changes being made have made the site so much less enjoyable to them.
I'm 28, and I joined when I was 20 because of my little sisters. I did feel like an old bird on the site, but I met a lot of older teens so I wasn't too much of an outcast. Now I've kind of lost touch with the current age distribution.
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 8:53 am
Kialandi
My story is pretty similar to yours Kialandi, I hung out and played the games on the site a lot in my early to mid teenage years and then Gaia just sort of dropped off my radar. Then I rediscovered it a little over a year ago and stuck to the forums and guilds. I don't play the games because I have better ones on my computer. And I don't visit towns too often because most of the people I talk to are here on the forums.
My age hasn't really affected my experience here. The only real differences I can see are when the younger users ask for advice from older users.
Also, you said you re-activated your account. How did you do that? They recently implemented a rule that accounts that haven't been accessed for over six months will be deleted. I don't want to lose my account because I had to go on deployment.
My story is pretty similar to yours Kialandi, I hung out and played the games on the site a lot in my early to mid teenage years and then Gaia just sort of dropped off my radar. Then I rediscovered it a little over a year ago and stuck to the forums and guilds. I don't play the games because I have better ones on my computer. And I don't visit towns too often because most of the people I talk to are here on the forums.
My age hasn't really affected my experience here. The only real differences I can see are when the younger users ask for advice from older users.
Also, you said you re-activated your account. How did you do that? They recently implemented a rule that accounts that haven't been accessed for over six months will be deleted. I don't want to lose my account because I had to go on deployment.
It doesn't get deleted, it gets "deactivated". That means that you have to open a ticket with them and wait over a month (like me) while they wade through everyone else's ticket. You provide a lot of info about your account and then they decide whether you're the real owner or not, and give it back to you.
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 9:12 am
Kialandi
Jonstalker62
Kialandi
My story is pretty similar to yours Kialandi, I hung out and played the games on the site a lot in my early to mid teenage years and then Gaia just sort of dropped off my radar. Then I rediscovered it a little over a year ago and stuck to the forums and guilds. I don't play the games because I have better ones on my computer. And I don't visit towns too often because most of the people I talk to are here on the forums.
My age hasn't really affected my experience here. The only real differences I can see are when the younger users ask for advice from older users.
Also, you said you re-activated your account. How did you do that? They recently implemented a rule that accounts that haven't been accessed for over six months will be deleted. I don't want to lose my account because I had to go on deployment.
It doesn't get deleted, it gets "deactivated". That means that you have to open a ticket with them and wait over a month (like me) while they wade through everyone else's ticket. You provide a lot of info about your account and then they decide whether you're the real owner or not, and give it back to you.
Ah, okay, that's good to hear. What kind of info about the account do you have to provide?
My story is pretty similar to yours Kialandi, I hung out and played the games on the site a lot in my early to mid teenage years and then Gaia just sort of dropped off my radar. Then I rediscovered it a little over a year ago and stuck to the forums and guilds. I don't play the games because I have better ones on my computer. And I don't visit towns too often because most of the people I talk to are here on the forums.
My age hasn't really affected my experience here. The only real differences I can see are when the younger users ask for advice from older users.
Also, you said you re-activated your account. How did you do that? They recently implemented a rule that accounts that haven't been accessed for over six months will be deleted. I don't want to lose my account because I had to go on deployment.
It doesn't get deleted, it gets "deactivated". That means that you have to open a ticket with them and wait over a month (like me) while they wade through everyone else's ticket. You provide a lot of info about your account and then they decide whether you're the real owner or not, and give it back to you.
Ah, okay, that's good to hear. What kind of info about the account do you have to provide?
Any inventory items you can remember, past usernames you had, the email on file, stuff like that.
Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2014 3:05 pm
I started when I was 16, and am now 24. I never left the site. funny thing, seeing as when I started I only anted to dress up my avatar like a video game character (Auron, from FFX).
I mostly hang out with the older people now, around my age and into the 30s. but I also talk to some older teens and people just a bit younger than me. I try to avoid too many young'ns, though.
back in the day, I used to keep friends as little as 5 or 6 years my junior. let's just say I've outgrown that tendency.
My bf had an account and told me to get one at 15. I did and... I may have left him, but I never left Gaia! I am in my early 20's. So, um... I am here? I guess. Recently realized I may have to leave though. This sites activating my depression. Then again... So in IMVU....
Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:45 am
Ura the rainbow King
My bf had an account and told me to get one at 15. I did and... I may have left him, but I never left Gaia! I am in my early 20's. So, um... I am here? I guess. Recently realized I may have to leave though. This sites activating my depression. Then again... So in IMVU....
forgive my prying, but... have you considered really deeply considering what triggers your depression? perhaps it isn't the networking sites at all. maybe it's the sorts of environments you gravitate to, or people you surround yourself with, or even just something in your mind you can't seem to help at all?
now, I don't mean this in an accusing way. I just think that some reflection and self-examination may do you some real good. picking apart your ow emotions and putting them under the microscope, so to speak, is a very healthy way to reach a certain understanding about yourself that can help you recover. ^_^
remember, you always have friends here. if you want someone to talk to, my inbox is always open.
Reply
