Missing Out · 3:32pm Jul 23rd, 2022
So anyway, I attended my first pony convention.
Trotcon was a pretty incredible experience, but in a lot of ways quite bittersweet. I had a blast meeting friends in person for the first time, and many of the panels were fun.
But there was also a sense of loss. I'm a relative latecomer to the fandom, and many of the panels I attended reinforced one depressing fact; there has been nearly a decade of fandom that I simply missed. Panelists making inside jokes, people engaging with friends they've known for a decade, that sort of thing. Often I felt like an outsider, even within my own tribe. I'm caught between worry that all cons are going to be this way, and I'll just never catch up, and a pressing need to attend as many cons as possible, simply so I can fully acclimate to what I now fully see as my tribe.
One experience that really drove this all home for me was the Starlight Glimmer panel, in which Minty Root's new animation, "Missing Out", debuted. You can find it here:
It's absolutely incredible. It brought me to tears, literally. I felt Starlight's pain personally.
Since Youtube has disabled comments on the video, it's difficult to show appreciation, so I'm doing so on every platform I can. Hopefully this brilliant animator can see just how much they have touched people with their art.
Thank you, Minty Root.
You'll catch up more quickly than you think.
Coming in late to the fandom the important thing to know is that it's mostly the die-hards who remain. We're the people who really, really enjoyed the show and/or the community. If you like poni and friendship you'll fit in and get the references eventually.
I'm glad you feel at home enough to have had that experience.
There are plenty of times to come.
Basically came on board a month after you, so I know the feeling.
I was there from the beginning and know a ton of in jokes and weird lore trivia and have been to babscon once and the last bronycon. Let me tell you, the stuff you were missing out on was probably con specific. Each con is a world unto itself with a core group of 20-50 people who love nothing more than making inside jokes about some misunderstanding 6 years ago.
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That was genuinely the vibe I got, and while there's nothing wrong with that in my mind, it's just something I kinda wish I knew how to be a part of.
I was also late into the fandom, so i get that feeling. Trotcon was my first con too! And im really glad i got a chance to meet such awesome ponies. Espicially, you Apple. Keep being awesome!
I left the fandom back in 2015 and only came back a year or so ago. I feel like I missed so much stuff, and I've always felt a bit out of touch at times. Stories, events, cons, etc - all stuff I'll never experience. What I can advise is just enjoy what we can now! It'll still be a ton of great memories.