4 Years Ago · 8:09pm May 18th, 2017

Four years ago, I had practically just finished my last day of eighth grade, and I was done with my exams. Four months prior, I had my first ever break-up. Four years ago today, at age 14, I joined this site.

I had discovered Fimfiction about a year before, but I had gotten so busy that it wasn't until earlier 2013 that I rediscovered it. I decided I wanted to join, but I first had to think of a name.

I had seen all these cool names around, Pen Stroke and Skywriter and others, and I wanted a cool name myself, one that would represent me and my interests. And this is what I pondered as I stood on a step as my mom took my measurements (I think that's what it was).

So why did I settle on Pump It Up (no one asked)? I'm not sure, honestly; it just sort of came to me, and I ran with it, deciding to make Vinyl my avatar not long after. It was so hard to figure out a good name that would fit everything in (at the time, mostly just MLP and BIONICLE), and Pump It Up had that sort of sound to it I was going for.

I sort of began this account in secret; I wasn't sure if my parents would allow me an account on here, so I quickly signed up when they weren't home. And thus began this four-year journey; I may have been inactive for the better year or so, but you guys have no idea how important this site is to me. It was my first real experience on the internet, where prior, I had only used Webkinz and Build-a-Bear and the like. This site helped me develop my writing and keep me in practice. This site was one of the things that helped me survive my first two years of high school, transitioning from a class of 44 students I had known nearly my whole life to a class of nearly 400 students in a public high school where I knew nobody except the one of forty-four, and even then, it seemed like she abandoned me before too long. Without this site, I wouldn't be the person I am today. And I'm serious about that. I would have been a hell of a lot more miserable without this amazing community to turn to and interact with when I needed you guys.

One week ago tomorrow was my last day of classes at my high school, and I'll be graduating next Saturday (not Saturday this, the 27th). It's almost like bookends, in a way; not that I'm leaving the site, heavens no! But it's the fact that I've spent four years of my life on this site and they have matched up perfectly to two different times in my life (if that makes sense).

Thank you everyone who has been here since the beginning of my journey here, and thank you to all you new people! Your support and the general community here is amazing, and I can't wait to spend more years with you guys talking MLP and fanfiction.