[Jstar00000]

My mom keeps telling me that I'm not going to make friends if I keep liking anime. She said I should branch out away from anime because no one likes it and meet new people with different interest. I know she is right but it really hurt my self-esteme. I'm always an outcast. I find it really hard to make friends that are not into anime. They always end up thinking I'm weird. In short terms I'm so worried that I won't make friends in college. Is there a way that I can insure that liking anime won't ruin my reputation. Or how to branch out. Or at least calm my nerves. Thanks! :)

[cdad]

If it is a "like" of anime and not an obsession then your going to be fine. We all come with a mixed bag of likes and dislikes. Just like online gamers there are many versions and each is split on what is best. Just go forth and seek your education as best as you can and the rest will follow.

[Cat1864]

You might find a lot more opportunities to make friends because you are into anime. Some may be classmates, others may be in the community.

Are you going away for college or will you be attending one that is local and living at home?

Your mother seems concerned about you and probably would like to see you have an interest that maybe she can relate to. She is being a mother and she loves you. However, there are a lot of people who are into anime in the world. You aren't alone. If you were, there wouldn't be people LARPing (Live Action Role Playing) their favorite series and comic conventions would be a lot less crowded.

I do suggest keeping your mind open and see if something catches your interest. You might be surprised at how you can change your mind about something when it is presented in a new way.

Don't worry about reputations or 'fitting-in'. Be yourself. Be open to talking to people. If you go in with the attitude that no one will like you, it will affect how people interact with you. Don't worry about immediately making friends. Some friendships develop over a series of passing each other in the hall or standing around waiting for a classroom to become available.

Try to go into this new phase of your life with a positive attitude toward the whole experience. If you can, find and hold on to your sense of humor especially when everything seems to be going wrong. It will help reduce some of the stress.

Good luck.

[Stella_Aurea]

Hey, don't worry about it! You have your own special things that you enjoy and you don't need to change who you are for others. For the record, I have several friends who are in to anime, and we are all in college :)

[dontknownuthin]

It is one thing to like something and another thing entirely to use an interest to hide behind. To know the difference, enjoying anime would mean you look at it, maybe collect some of the artwork or books on the subject. It would be one of several interests, but unless a stranger or acquaintance asked you, they wouldn't know you were interested in anime.

If you start dressing in character, making your whole room anime, talk about it daily or make anime your identity, you are abandoning having your own identity and using anime to insulate yourself from having to stand up as just yourself. I have noticed that a lot of the anime "culture" really becomes costumes and taking on characters. Fine for a party here and there, but not for how you present yourself to the world day to day. It comes off as childish and weird but more important, it's not you but a character.

I suggest you just put this hobby in perspective, dress to flatter yourself not to be someone else like a cartoon. Join some other activities and cultivate other things to talk about. Don't prejudge people by categories. There are likely popular kids, jocks, academic types, band kids, etc. who would all like you and with whom you would have things in common. But if you present yourself as a cartoon character, nobody has the chance to see, meet, become friends with or fall in love with the actual you.