I'll finally be starting a new school after years of harassment and bullying at my current one and I've been looking at a bunch of pony merch to buy but im afraid ill get bullied again at my new school? any suggestions or help?
You have a few options here: 1. Shop online. -Probably the easiest way to go about it. If you can't shop online, you can always 2. Lie your ass off. -Make a list of the merch you want. When you go into the aisle, make disgusted faces like you don't want to be there, and spend some time checking the list, and comparing the merch to what's written on the list. Anybody who sees you will just assume that you're shopping for a niece or a little sister. Of course, you can also 3. Just suck it up. What's the worst that can happen? You get called a few names? Maybe somebody pushes you? Most people won't care, and the ones that do aren't worth your time anyway.
These right here are your three best options^ Online shopping not only solves the solution of publicity but also opens your range of merchandise to buy. You can always request a commission for things like plushies or a wide range of things when you're shopping online. Most people don't care enough to notice that you're shopping for MLP merch. Of course they're going to be a bit confused if they see you with an overexcited look on your face, gawking from one item to the next. Poker face is a key term for this one. If you look like you hate it then those who bother to care won't suspect anything. The third option is a really good one. As you get older you'll find all of the bullying dies down. In the real world you'll find that people are struggling far too much to care whether or not you like ponies. From grade school to Freshman year of high school you'll find bullying because a lot of students haven't experienced the real world yet. I'm currently attending university and no one cares that I'm a brony. A few might get their little laugh out when I tell them but most truly and honestly don't care. Although I did have one girl obsess over me being a brony, it was weird when she told me that ... really ... weird. Anyway, trust me when I tell you the bullying stops. You might even make a few friends ... who might obsess over your bronyism. Whichever you may choose I wish you luck. I personally am not into the merch buying/collecting although there are a few things I'd like to have for the sake of having them. Hope you can get all the merch you want without problems ^^
Basically, if your love for the show is noticed, just don't make a big deal about it. Keep it casual and just say "yeah, I found it interesting how good it was for what it is." I mean really, people would get just as annoyed if you were to shove Batman or Call of Duty or anything in their face. Just keep in mind the fact that everyone has stuff they like and don't like, and don't worry about what they might think of the things you happen to enjoy.
Basically Ridley gave you the best advice, if you REALLY don't want anyone seeing then follow his steps. Also, you could just buy pony merch from a store and it's most likely no-one will see you buying it anyway. Just go to a cashier you don't know, or use a self serve desk, and keep your pony merch out of your school life if it's a problem! Once you do it once, It's easy. I once was terrified to go to our comic book store and buy the MLP issue, and I was sweating, but when I went in the guy that worked there told me his son was a 19 year old MLP fan! (Like myself!) and he made me feel better about it. But most cashiers won't ask you questions, so don't worry too much about the actual purchasing of the product.
I usually just sandwich my pony merch between a couple of DVDs or buy something bigger to hold in front if it.
I really never understood the obsession with paraphernalia related to fan followings and what not. Always struck me as something of a waste of money. That just my thought though.
Same. I do not want to have lots of stuff I will end up not caring about or will just end up tossing. But each to their own. I've never been much of a collector of anything really. Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Don't worry, I keep all my gifts my luff. <3 I mean I don't really have a big interest in buying or collecting many things for myself.
Personally, I usually just go to the aisle and if there's other people there, I just look all over in said aisle and then just grab what I came for and go to the check-out. if you're embarrassed about doing that, I recommend either ordering online, or get a good friend to go with you (for support if you will xD)
Take this from someone who has been harassed for YEARS. Shop for your pony stuff in public, and if someone gives you a funny look, flash them a giant smile! Be proud of who you are! You are you! And if anyone at your school picks on you, keep your head held high. They don't appreciate how AWESOME we are. ~Beanie
I tend to justify my purchase to myself. My most recent was a Blind Bag Cheese Sandwich. People that know me know I'm a big Weird Al fan so I felt I could get away buying a Pony Weird Al. I've only bought a few small blind box vinyls (Was trying to get Derpy or Doctor Whooves) and some T-Shirts. Two T-Shirts were Doctor Whooves, and one was a Derpy Robocop cross.
Honestly, I'm a little nervous about buying MLP:FiM stuff in stores too. I might eventually overcome that or I'll stick to online purchasing for it. We'll see I guess.
Honestly, unless you're trying to make a statement or whatever by buying it in public, I don't know why you wouldn't buy online. You tend to get a better selection AND lower prices (maybe that's just here in the UK though?) As for worrying about what people think about you, school is probably the worst time for that, maybe try to go for something more subtle? I wore an RD cutie mark keychain on my backpack throughout sixth form, (like, last two years of high school I think?) never got any real hassle from that.
Personally I'm at a current financial state were I can't afford the shipping and there isn't enough I really want to qualify for free shipping. If I find it in stores I pick it up, if not well then that's that. Probably don't need it. While I am a Pony fan I'm more of a Transformers fan so I'm more likely to spend what little extra money for online shopping on them (Transformers).
I like wearing a pony thing or two (easier for me because I'm a girl I guess), but I always enjoy seeing other brony in the wild. A shirt, a hat, a sticker. An idea is to buy something small for your room or a sticker for your diary. The dollar store (where I'm at anyway) has some cute little stickers that are so cute in the inside cover of a book or just deck out your room and only invite true friends in.
