Following is one of my academic paper for ENGLCOM. i wrote it last april. this is a paper that tells you how i think of being a fangirl before. yeah. EXACTLY. before. because now, i kind of think differently.

but yeah.

THINGS CHANGE.

On Being a Fangirl

People say fangirling is just a waste of time and money. They say that fangirls should be avoided at any cost. But have they given you any reason why? People judge fangirls this way because they see their outrageous behaviours only when they’re near their idols. But have they seen these girls beyond that point? You see, fangirling is not just about obsessions, it is also about enjoying life, enriching works of art, and making new friends.

Fangirling is a way of enjoying life. Going over the internet for a further meaning of the word, however, I doubt anyone in their right mind would say that. “Fangirling is the reaction a fangirl has to any mention or sighting of the object of her affection” (www.urbandictionary.com). The problem in this online definition lies in the way these fangirls show their love and excitement, and this questions the right way to enjoy life. June last year, according to www.popsoeul.com, marked a death of a fan because of the supposedly official fangirls of one boyband in Korea. They mentally tortured the poor girl who in the end decided to commit suicide. Another case of morbid fangirling, again in Korea, consists of threats aimed at a rising star, Jang Yoo-Joon, who they (the fans) thought is trying to copy the person of their obsession. In the end, Jang was scared to even step out of his own house, and for that matter is always accompanied by his manager. He was even afraid to turn on his computer because anti-fans kept on bashing him on the internet. On the other hand, fangirling comes in a better light when fangirls support their idols in whatever they do. Fans’ club like Cassiopeia go to every Dong Bang Shin Gi (TVXQ, a Korean boyband) concert to show their support. They watched TVXQ’s movie, Vacation, to prove to people that they truly love their idols. Another Korean fans’ club, the ELF, voted from all over the world for Super Junior’s (another Korean boyband) member, Hankyung, in a poll that would give him the chance to run for the Olympic Torch in the Beijing Olympics in August. These latter examples are more commonly known as fangirling. It’s a way of having fun, but at the same time getting criticisms for your actions.

Fangirling is also enriching works of art. The first evidence is cosplaying that came into life as a product of fangirling. De La Salle University Manila has given us a wonderful example of a cosplay when the College of Computer Studies hosted one last year. The theme of the said event was to dress up like your favourite anime character. Last December, Cassiopeia Philippines also hosted cosplays for “4G (Fourth Gathering)”. Colorful costumes, adorned with creative hairstyles, mark the night –or morning –of the cosplayers’ gatherings. Loud music and the delicious smell of food also linger every time they gather. It’s not just about the contest, but also showing to people how creative one can get because of their admiration. The next examples are popular fan fictions and reads with imaginations run wild as basis of their prevalence. Famous fan fictions would range from the basic sweet happy endings to disturbing vampire stories filled with angst. Most of these fan fictions are made by fangirls, dedicating them to their idols. Then comes the wonderful world of fan arts and graphics. The complicated environment of Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Image Ready, ULead Video Studio and many more would be not much of a problem even if you’re a beginner at fan arts. These masterpieces range from dark manipulated photographs of their idols to brightly colored and texturized stock pictures. Browsing them on the internet is like passing by a virtual museum because of the creators’ different taste in art. Because of this, we can conclude that fanfictions, fan arts and graphics, and cosplays are still alive today partly because of fangirling. They are created basically to show off, but at the same time share these talents to anyone who’d care.

Fangirling is also a way of meeting and making new friends. I go over the internet frequently to get updated on the juicy news of my idols. Doing this for over two years, I’ve gained a lot of new online and offline friends. Some of them are from Davao, Cebu and even here in Manila. I’ve even met some of them! My cousin, Gerty, gained a new friend from New York because they have the same favourite singer. Another cousin of mine, Dan, met another fangirl from Brunei and they’re currently having a ‘graphic battle’ posted on the internet. Some of my online friends have joined fanlistings and fans’ clubs (Cassiopeia, Everlasting Friends (ELF), VIPs) which hold annual meeting and celebrations. During LEAP day this year, I got the chance to share my insights to another fangirl I met then and there. A few weeks ago, I also got to talk freely to one of my classmates in PERSEF1 because we’re both fangirls, at least she used to be one. But of course, these experiences don’t only stop at ‘fangirling’. Gerty’s friend from New York now treats her as a best friend because my cousin is the one she thinks best understands her. An online friend of mine from Pampanga now has more desire to pursue her dream because of my few advises. Another online friend of mine from Davao helped me finish a project on time just last term. As is, fangirling doesn’t stop at just “worshipping” their idols, some, like me and my cousins, form a friendship deeper than that.

Through this paper, we’ve seen what fangirling means other than what is given on the internet. We’ve seen what it is to enjoy life in a different perspective and that is to explore it in a more liberal way; we’ve seen how art is interpreted and touched in the modern society, one that has a technological touch to it; and we’ve seen how it is to make new friends even without personal contact and yet feel safe, satisfied and accepted. Judging someone based only on what you see is not reason enough. Looking beyond that person is practically what everybody speaks about. I keep on saying this because nobody else can say this apart from a person who have experienced and read through it. In the end, I must say that fangirling is not just about obsessions, it is also about enjoying life, enriching works of art and making new friends.