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I'm sure you know where I am going with this; just like screwed-up relationships we see on drama series, fandoms have the tendency to ruin our lives. And we can turn everything backwards all we want, but we know that we give those fandoms the power to rule our lives. We just tend to deny it, most of the time. We give so much love and attention to this Television series and the next thing you know, you end up watching four seasons in less than three days. Not only that, you get slapped by the realization that you got other "important" things to do like schoolwork or actual work, or saving your relationship from drowning (but then it becomes too late, because your girlfriend/boyfriend sees what a total bum you are). I guess that fundamental question is, can we really focus on our fandoms and reality at the same time?
The answer is yes. Believe it or not, you can have your Hogwarts Life and your Career Life at the same time. It's just a matter of balancing your time. I know that is easier said than done, but there are plenty of healthy ways to do so without trying to put too much focus into one thing. And this is based on my experience. My life story may not be exactly the same as yours, but I guess it is something you can learn from.
Distribute your priorities, equallyNow this is the first and most difficult step, and don't say you don't know why. Dividing your time for life and your fandoms...? That's not easy! If you're one of those people who keep saying, "One More Episode" then I wish you luck as you take on this step. Give each of your priorities the same weight. Don't give this thing more importance than the other, or else you will go mad. I'm sure I am not the only who has experienced such turmoil. There is nothing wrong in planning out how many hours or days you want to dedicate yourself to something. It does not automatically make you a control freak, I'm sure. Besides, it is a whole lot better to plan ahead rather than pressuring yourself to do something last minute. As much as it is difficult to do, don't give all your attention to your fandoms. Do not give all your attention to certain aspects of your life, either. Get a planner of your own and pan out all the things you have to do and want to do. At least, that's what I did. Call me a nerd for saying this, but having a planner is a total life saver.
Fandom as an inspiration
I'll admit. There were many times I would prefer to bury my head into an nonexistent, fictitious, fantastic world rather than burying it into my textbooks. I just get really annoyed by the fact that reading about Shadowhunters and Demigods are much more interesting than figuring out the puzzling (and unnerving) sorcery called Trigonometry. Admit it, you underwent this, too. But what really would fascinate me aside from the stories, are the characters themselves. People like Hermione Granger, Annabeth Chase, and Tessa Gray....they impressed me. From that, that feeling turned into admiration. Then I aspired to become a very diverse, independent, and headstrong individual. So in a way, my fandoms became apart of my life in such a way that they served as inspiration for the way I live my life and how I deliver myself. And it turned out really good. You could say I have books to thank for my very own character development.
Go beyond Fandoms and explore Life
Afterwards, I decided to step out my comfort zone and become acquainted with the real world. Now how did I incorporate my fandoms, you ask? Well, let's face one fact here; we can learn a lot of things from our fandoms and if you dig a little deeper, we realize how much of these discoveries can still be applied in real life. So the first thing to do is close that book or turn off that television or computer (but certainly not now, You gotta read till the end before you can do so), and look at real life in such a way you see your fandoms. Real life can be an adventure and all you have to do is look. The next thing you know, you met the Edward Cullen of your life or you're in the place where they shot the scenes of Lord of the Rings, living your own Hobbit-like journey. Basically, life is just as interesting as your fandoms. So try to look at your school, work, or family in a completely different angle. Along the way, you will learn and try new things, and sometimes they end up twice as exciting as the book you are currently reading because you are actually doing it.
And there you have it. This is how I dealt with my fandom addiction before it could get any worse. Like I said, this is just how I dealt with it, so you don't necessarily have to do everything I did. In the end, it is your choice on how you want to live your life. But if you had a different way of dealing fandom addiction, then feel free to share your story on the comments below! Till the next post~
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