Last for the University of Wisconsin Whitewater Brony Club

Tonight, December 8th, 2017 was the last meeting of the University of Wisconsin Whitewater Brony Club. All that was left was Gage and Dominick, and me video-chatting through Discord. We began in 2013 with half a dozen regular members, and could reach over a dozen at times. But Dominick is graduating, and Gage won't be running the club by himself. I myself graduated last year. Our founders Kyle and Craig graduated the year before me. A lot of us have gone our own ways in life.

The meeting concluded around 7:10 PM between Gage and I; Dominick had to leave around 6:45 PM. I'm writing this to mark the end of our organization, for posterity (it will also be in the Milwaukee Bronies Facebook page, and I'll likely put it on my Tumblr). Actually, I don't think I'm using that word right; it's just the feeling I have to make a note of things. The sense that I should send it off. Or at least, I want it to mean enough that I should send it off.

College was a turning point in my life, and Brony Club was a highlight of it. UWW was also the single location I've spent the longest in AS a brony. I truly got into My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic during my senior year of high school. Then for the next four years I spent more time in some dorm up in Wisconsin than under the roof of my parents. Until I sat down to write this out, I hadn't realized how much My Little Pony was exclusively tied to the phase of my life that was my first tepid steps into adulthood. A show, philosophy, culture and group that shaped me so greatly and spontaneously.

But maybe the reason I hadn't thought on it is because the show, the lessons, the growth, and the friendships haven't actually ended. There was never a big fight or falling out. People just graduate college, meet new friends, and find new things worthy of dedicate love, life and passion to.  My friends Kyle Martinson and Brayden Mitchell got engaged and married respectively!  I still keep in touch with some of my friends from college, and have the ability to reach out to more from the past. With my shared interest and ability to socialize that I owe in part to MLP:FiM, I've made even more friends.  Then there's my neighbors and co-workers that I've found as I've started a life on my own.  And I will always try to keep my family close.

But as I said, this feels like a moment I should note in life. Maybe I've just decided that the final Brony Club meeting is a good time to mark on the map, and look back down the trail to see how far I've traveled.

https://royalpurplenews.com/10512/lifestyle/the-bronies-of-whitewater/

I watched two of my favorite "sad" videos to fit my mindset in between writing this. One is about the effect childish things have on us, and the other is another story and franchise that also changed me during my college years.

Also, what do you know, one of my favorite YouTubers and Bronies put out a video on major character arcs and growth today! Content like Silver Quill's is another thing related to Pony that's persisted in some form in these past years. These have been a true pleasure to watch tonight, away from the cold, and in the process of soul searching with my full heart.

Dang, by total chance in the side bar, I happened to find this excellent video. Apparently it was the 1st Place Winner in the Feel Good category at the 2017 BronyCon PMV Contest. MLP Light makes some cool stuff! I feel like I'm on some kind of bittersweet high tonight.