How do I find Sonic fans in my area?

[Scritch the Cat]

I understand that this wording probably sounds, shall we say, oddly romantic, but hopefully it will at least help my thread get noticed.

Lately I have reflected on my lack of a social life, or at least, any social life that doesn't involve the Internet, and come to realize that it's hard to find any opportunity to have real-world, local conversations that are anywhere close to as interesting as ones I could have online. 

But what if it wasn't?  What if there was a way to find Sonic fans who lived near me? 

I can say the means I've tried to look for them don't work.  Conventional web searches for Sonic fans in my area just turn up event listings, often for events that have already come and gone.  Meetup.com doesn't yield anything close to what results I want.

But is there a way Sonic fans have tried to find each other, with proven results?

[Maple Syrup]

Man, this is what I wonder. That is why I came here in the first place. 

Edited April 24 by Maple Syrup

[Cyb3rkn1ght]

Play "Open Your Heart" Out loud

Seriously though, I'd say just ask around. maybe you encounter someone about something non-sonic related, and just drop some hints. if that doesn't work, get more and more obvious and then just ask "What do you know about Sonic?" 

(This was oddly Romantic too)

[Maple Syrup]

9 minutes ago, Cyb3rkn1ght said:

Play "Open Your Heart" Out loud

Seriously though, I'd say just ask around. maybe you encounter someone about something non-sonic related, and just drop some hints. if that doesn't work, get more and more obvious and then just ask "What do you know about Sonic?" 

(This was oddly Romantic too)

Scott Pilgrim!!!

Sing Sonic music at a Karaoke place probably. I met this girl once at my school whose dad bought a Sega Genesis with Sonic Spinball on it. We would play Sonic Superstars when we were free at class. She's now homeschooled... That's the closest I ever got to a Sonic-knowing person.

[Scritch the Cat]

1 hour ago, Cyb3rkn1ght said:

Play "Open Your Heart" Out loud

Seriously though, I'd say just ask around. maybe you encounter someone about something non-sonic related, and just drop some hints. if that doesn't work, get more and more obvious and then just ask "What do you know about Sonic?" 

(This was oddly Romantic too)

Yeah, sorry, but I'm not flat-out hitting people with a Sonic conversation out of nowhere.  It's not worth the risk of them thinking I'm a loser.  I wouldn't be surprised if many people's immediate response would be to ask if I was autistic, which incidentally, I am.  Before I knew it, I'd be scrambling to justify my own existence.

[Ghelatlishol]

This is obviously the solution to all our problems.

[Cuz]

Have you tried leaving a chilidog out in the open? 

[SpeedyChilidogs]

4 minutes ago, Cuz said:

Have you tried leaving a chilidog out in the open? 

I think that would attract Sonic himself 

[Cyb3rkn1ght]

9 minutes ago, Cuz said:

Have you tried leaving a chilidog out in the open?

Maybe leave a Chaos emerald out with a note like "If you found this, you are a Fast Friend Forever :)" and maybe leave some contact info?

[SpeedyChilidogs]

Ehh, Well I say don't be all bent up about it, Just keep being you, wear the things you like, and do the things you do, and someone will find interest in you lol, I have a few Sonic Friends that I know IRL but I never really noticed how quiet sonic fans are with liking sonic lol, I got a Sonic bookbag and a Sonic pin in hopes that someone in interest would talk to me lol, I say not too much But I do recommend finding some good friends first maybe you can get them into it. Or if you have sum close internet friends maybe plan a meet-up in the future. I have one planned with my friends and we are hoping to live together one day lol. I say, Just be above on everything with Comic-cons or Sonic events possible ones you could meet up with, or better yet why not make your own? 

2 minutes ago, Cyb3rkn1ght said:

Maybe leave a Chaos emerald out with a note like "If you found this, you are a Fast Friend Forever :)" and maybe leave some contact info?

THAT SOUNDS CREEPY LMAOO especially with the Smiley face Omgg XD

[Cyb3rkn1ght]

2 minutes ago, SpeedyChilidogs said:

THAT SOUNDS CREEPY LMAOO

Creepy? well, now that i think abt it xD

My first thought was exactly that ecept a cookie instead but I was like "Nahhh that's creepy-er"

[MetalSkulkBane]

Maybe a shirt with the words "Live & Learn"? Sonic fans will get it, normies won't know so won't judge.

I do wish Sonic was making stuff like that, something Sonic-related I can hold in public without worry.

[Ghelatlishol]

Removing previous information. Didn't think that through.

 

Edited April 24 by Ghelatlishol

[Maple Syrup]

Show your pal the Sonic Movie 2 at least 10 times? Make a local Sonic club?

5 hours ago, Cyb3rkn1ght said:

Maybe leave a Chaos emerald out with a note like "If you found this, you are a Fast Friend Forever :)" and maybe leave some contact info?

Ehehehehehehehee...... Time for a little trollin'!!! 

Edited April 24 by Maple Syrup

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

This post reminded me of this

Replace hot singles with sonic fans though. LOL

[TitansCreed]

It's a little bit different now, than say, 10+ years ago. But Summer of Sonic was my first convention meeting new people and making friends. 

Granted, I was a massive extrovert when I was younger (now I just appreciate some quiet time) and it's not hard for me, but I made lifelong friends at that moment. Hell, I was even Best Man at one of their wedding.

Conventions nowadays still have small groups of particular fans get together and socialise, and as I'm sure others have said on the thread... You're literally in the best place to make friends. I'm sure there's a tonne of people on the TSS Discord as well. It's just about taking the first step, finding people who you have more in common than just a Blue Hedgehog, IDK, join their discord, make more friends, spiral out of control, summon Chaos Swiss Rolls and play dumb games with them.

[Maple Syrup]

57 minutes ago, TitansCreed said:

It's a little bit different now, than say, 10+ years ago. But Summer of Sonic was my first convention meeting new people and making friends. 

Granted, I was a massive extrovert when I was younger (now I just appreciate some quiet time) and it's not hard for me, but I made lifelong friends at that moment. Hell, I was even Best Man at one of their wedding.

Conventions nowadays still have small groups of particular fans get together and socialise, and as I'm sure others have said on the thread... You're literally in the best place to make friends. I'm sure there's a tonne of people on the TSS Discord as well. It's just about taking the first step, finding people who you have more in common than just a Blue Hedgehog, IDK, join their discord, make more friends, spiral out of control, summon Chaos Swiss Rolls and play dumb games with them.

That can work, I have a friend who wants to get into more of the franchise. Find someone like that!

[jpearce]

16 hours ago, Scritch the Cat said:

Yeah, sorry, but I'm not flat-out hitting people with a Sonic conversation out of nowhere.  It's not worth the risk of them thinking I'm a loser.  I wouldn't be surprised if many people's immediate response would be to ask if I was autistic, which incidentally, I am.  Before I knew it, I'd be scrambling to justify my own existence.

  Liking what you like has nothing to do if you have autism or ADHD. You like what you like, and that's okay. But believe me when I say a lot of people on this Earth love Sonic. And like Cyb3rkn1ght said: Try to drop small hints. Hum a Sonic Tune. Wear Sonic attire. Heck, bring a Switch with you and play a Sonic game on it! (Not Frontiers, Frontiers on Switch looks and plays horribly.) Or just mention Sonic in a conversation. Who knows? You might find someone.       

[Xandur]

Go to large social spaces and yell "TRIPLETS BORN" until someone finally responds. Worked for me - only took a few dozen tries. Got me banned from the local library though...

[Cyb3rkn1ght]

53 minutes ago, Xandur said:

Go to large social spaces and yell "TRIPLETS BORN"

YEEEEESSS, you WILL find me. screw Marco polo, just do this!

1 hour ago, jpearce said:

Liking what you like has nothing to do if you have autism or ADHD. You like what you like, and that's okay. But believe me when I say a lot of people on this Earth love Sonic. And like Cyb3rkn1ght said: Try to drop small hints. Hum a Sonic Tune. Wear Sonic attire. Heck, bring a Switch with you and play a Sonic game on it! (Not Frontiers, Frontiers on Switch looks and plays horribly.) Or just mention Sonic in a conversation. Who knows? You might find someone

Those are some better points. plus, if you did that but Mario, people won't call you stupid or autistic. more likely childish, but you know what I mean

[Scritch the Cat]

2 hours ago, jpearce said:

  Liking what you like has nothing to do if you have autism or ADHD. You like what you like, and that's okay. But believe me when I say a lot of people on this Earth love Sonic. And like Cyb3rkn1ght said: Try to drop small hints. Hum a Sonic Tune. Wear Sonic attire. Heck, bring a Switch with you and play a Sonic game on it! (Not Frontiers, Frontiers on Switch looks and plays horribly.) Or just mention Sonic in a conversation. Who knows? You might find someone.       

I'm not here to perpetuate harmful stereotypes, but in cases where a stereotype does happen to apply to me, I can't just dodge every bullet that comes with it.

Yes, a lot of people love Sonic, in the sense that they love playing Sonic games, watching Sonic movies, etc, and because the brand is over three decades old, a fair amount of them will even be adults.  It's quite possible most of them are not autistic.  But it probably takes a very specific sort of fan to enjoy talking at length and depth about Sonic stuff, akin to what you'd see in YouTube videos.  Maybe that sort of analytical Sonic fandom doesn't necessarily have anything to do with autism either, but it definitely does in my case.  Talking about random fluff with random people just doesn't appeal to me at all; it has to be meaningful discussion about things I'm interested in.  Is Sonic the only thing I'm interested in?  Certainly not.  But a lot of my interests seem like they're either niche or controversial, if not occasionally both.

I've thought about the Sonic attire thing, incidentally.  I would like to do that.  But I don't have a large amount of money to spend on it.  Printing my own T-shirts is something I've looked into but I'm not sure it's necessarily any cheaper.

[Maple Syrup]

3 hours ago, jpearce said:

  Liking what you like has nothing to do if you have autism or ADHD. You like what you like, and that's okay. But believe me when I say a lot of people on this Earth love Sonic. And like Cyb3rkn1ght said: Try to drop small hints. Hum a Sonic Tune. Wear Sonic attire. Heck, bring a Switch with you and play a Sonic game on it! (Not Frontiers, Frontiers on Switch looks and plays horribly.) Or just mention Sonic in a conversation. Who knows? You might find someone.       

Sonic is for everyone. Even for super-chill people! Also, Superstars is SUPER fun to play with others. I let people play with the DLC's, and most really like the Holiday Sonic one! Maybe you can put some quotes in your sentences like "Gotta Go Fast," or "Oh, COME ON!" Maybe put a Sonic wallpaper for people to see! One time this person came up to me and said, "I like Sonic too!" after seeing my Cream the Rabbit wallpaper. Try something like that!

[Scritch the Cat]

19 minutes ago, Maple Syrup said:

Sonic is for everyone. Even for super-chill people! Also, Superstars is SUPER fun to play with others. I let people play with the DLC's, and most really like the Holiday Sonic one! Maybe you can put some quotes in your sentences like "Gotta Go Fast," or "Oh, COME ON!" Maybe put a Sonic wallpaper for people to see! One time this person came up to me and said, "I like Sonic too!" after seeing my Cream the Rabbit wallpaper. Try something like that!

Do you mean virtual wallpaper or literal?  Because I don't have many guests who come to see my actual walls.

[Maple Syrup]

 

4 minutes ago, Scritch the Cat said:

Do you mean virtual wallpaper or literal?  Because I don't have many guests who come to see my actual walls.

Virtual

[sonic_the_cuber]

in 5th grade, i was crazy about my sonic passion, but i was called weird and people said i wanted to marry sonic.. so i stopped talking about it and i’m better now, but i just wish there were sonic fans but at least it wasnt 2006