I’ve been planning to write this and I thought it would be a good idea to release this on the anniversary of me stanning MNL48.
Yes, on one sturdy afternoon of November 25, I found myself in the middle of crowded venue, holding 2 tickets on my hand trying to decipher what was happening and mentally arguing with myself if I will let them drown me into this fandom.
As I look back to the year it has been, let me share with you the things that I learned or at least honed in entering this fandom.
1. Discover New Places
For someone who does not know how to commute alone and someone who grew up in a place where everything was there, going outside BGC was not something I am up to. Following MNL48 in their journey in promoting their new singles somehow peeled me out of the shell and taught me that there were a lot of malls, you can go to.
Surprisingly, my very first mall show was not even held in the middle of the city but held in a place new to me, it was when they held a mall show in Vista Mall Daang Hari. See it was actually my first time hearing that a mall named “Vista Mall” exists.
The farthest I’ve been to was Pampanga, it was Team NIV‘s mall show and was the very first time that Jem would take her spot as a center. It was one important journey in her life as an idol and I can’t let myself missed that.
2. Riding A Bus
Again, for someone who lives in a place where almost everything was there when I step outside home, I really don’t have the opportunity to travel places. Also, I’m afraid of riding a bus that I actually don’t know how to ride one except for the BGC bus. Grab, private cars and taxi were my aids but following MNL48 using these options would cut-off a lot from my wallet.
Through attending MNL48’s shows and events it somehow taught me how to ride a bus, what’s more surprising, I was able to ride a bus ALONE, yes, by myself, going to Starmall SJDM, that’s not even within the Metro but in Bulacan.
I guess having Jem in the line-up was really a good bait for me to travel around the city and let myself experienced this kind of thing.
3. Meeting New People
I guess when you enter a fandom, meeting new people would be a common thing. However, there would be people like me, an ambivert, who’s introvert side always show up when I’m around people. Shyness would take over and talking to a complete stranger though you share a common interest would be a hard thing to do.
I didn’t enter the fandom alone, I was actually with friends. However, talking to people or meeting a complete stranger was something I would never get used to. When I first tweeted about having an interest in MNL48, I was greeted by people who seemed to be excited to meet me. They even guided me into knowing who should I approach if in any case, I would need help but the introvert side of me wouldn’t allow that.
But I guess having the same love for the girls would really lower down your guard and eventually, your network of friends would grow. Through MNL48, I got to meet new people, join different groups, and somehow create friendships.
Shout-out to all the people whom I’ve got to meet and know along this journey.
4. Creativity
Arts and Crafts would always be my cup of tea but often times I get to put this passion back in a closet as I don’t have an outlet to showcase this.
Being an MNLoves and too involved in the fandom somehow broke that closet and gave me an opportunity to unleash it. From the simple layout of freebies to gift wrapping to making a balloon stand and crafting a bouquet.
There would be cases wherein sometimes you would run out of ideas and seek help through google (hehehe).
5. Relying On Yourself
Though having friends and aid would be great, sometimes you really have to rely on yourself. There were several instances when the girls of MNL48 have shown how much they need to learn things on their own for faster and more comfortable stuff and man, they were right.
Being an MNLoves would somehow require you to stop relying on others for designs and other stuff. I was able to discover that I can layout on my own, I can produce freebies on my own, I can find a supplier on my own. I can go to the mall shows on my own.
If I didn’t get to learn this then I wouldn’t be able to attend that very first mall show I’ve been to where I got the chance to get to know my now ni-oshi, Dana.
Relying on yourself somehow makes the job easier and faster. Through this, I also got to learn who really consider you as a friend.
6. Waking Up My Passion
Besides from the creativity, MNL48 somehow waken up the passion that almost died, writing and photography.
I remember setting up a page for my fan taken photos but the lack of content somehow made me unable to continue but with the monthly events that MNL48 has, content would not be a problem. Look who still have some pictures to edit.
The lack of topic also made this blogsite stagnant, having no post for months. Even though I don’t publish blogs on a regular basis, having MNL48 as a topic somehow eases that. Also, they have woken up my fanfic writer mode, the abundance of ships would really prompt you into writing one.
7. Discover My Capabilities
Me staying in this fandom let me embraced the capabilities that I can and those that I can’t. When I say capabilities, I mean my reach to support and what can I do for my oshimens.
Looking back, I never knew that I would be able to plan things for someone not of my blood nor a long-time friend. I didn’t know that I could muster up my courage and dress up as a Pikachu for Jem. I didn’t know that I could go ahead and gift them musical instruments that I myself didn’t get to have. I didn’t know that I could purchase box cds just so I could save a girl’s dream. Well, it is not new that I buy multiple copies of the same cd but in K-pop I could sell them, in MNL48 you can’t but I’m not complaining.
There were a lot more learnings but these were the things that left the most impression on me. The journey was not smooth, I lost some but I also gain a lot. Seeing them now somehow makes me reminisce on how it is used to be, it will just make you smile. I’m pretty fortunate that I enter this fandom in the phase were the path is not too rough, those who were there before me probably has a lot more to say. All I can I say is I’m actually glad that I am somehow part of their journey until maybe someday, MNL48 would be considered this nation’s girl group.
©Aesthetic Insanity, November 6, 2010.
My Aesthetic Insanity 