Buddy System

[Kaz with a K]

Okay, so I just had this idea while driving to school, so it is nowhere near being fully fleshed out. I was thinking about how we have all these new people in the forums and how most of the questions they ask are already answered, and no matter what we do we can't stop them from asking the same questions over and over. As well as, a problem I recently noticed, people giving up really soon/easily, so I thought of a way to help reduce both.

So I was thinking, what if we

started a Buddy System, for new people. Like, in a thread or something. The OP explains the procedure and people comment if they want to be signed up for "adoption" and then we have other people, preferably experienced people, "adopt" them.

When you adopt someone, you become super pen pals, and you help them through stuff. You answer their questions, help them along and stuff.

Right now it sounds like a good idea to me, as long as people are willing to help out, and if the

thread is seen.

Any thoughts?

[Kraph]

Does this mean we'd have to judge a member's ability to guide and help newfriends ? And what if we end up with one speshul pal no one wants to adopt ?

These are my main problems with the idea, it would be all kinds of nice if it's done, and i'd consider participating. Thanks for suggesting it anyways.

[Kaz with a K]

Well I mean, no one would necessarily have to weed out anyone else except themselves. Like, if you think you are good, have the time, and are up to the challenge, then you should sign up.

But what I can forsee happening is people who aren't necessarily equipped to do the job sign up, and things go downhill from there, but also, I'm slightly against having people judge other people's ability.

About the second thing, are you referring to if there's one guy nobody wants? Or if we have three people needing adoption and one person adopting?

For the first one, I don't think there could be anything done, outside of forcing someone onto someone else, but even then, if they aren't "wanted" they wouldn't get the attention they should. Right now, I guess the best thing to do is hope that doesn't happen.

If you mean the second one, we can always just wait for another adopter, or, if someone wants, they can take on two people.

Thank you for brining these up.

[Ganymede]

/r/Tulpas has a system like this. I guess we could always... adopt that system.

[Vos]

/r/Tulpas has a system like this. I guess we could always... adopt that system.

 

Yes, we could. Having a system like that on Reddit doesn't mean that we can't have something similar here.

 

I'll do it if it is done in private messages. I think that the previous penpal thing we had on here was through email, and I wasn't enjoying that as I rarely check my emails.

 

As for the "endin' up wit d speshul pal", the adopter would have to deal with it.

[Kaz with a K]

 

Yes, we could. Having a system like that on Reddit doesn't mean that we can't have something similar here.

 

I'll do it if it is done in private messages. I think that the previous penpal thing we had on here was through email, and I wasn't enjoying that as I rarely check my emails.

 

As for the "endin' up wit d speshul pal", the adopter would have to deal with it.

Also, I just realized the "special person" case shouldn't happen, since people will be paired up in order of need, rather than choosing, so that won't happen.

As well as, I wasn't thinking of it being on email, since this is a tulpa.info thing, I figured it should remain within Tulpa.info.

[PsychoticDoc]

I would be down to help someone, I'm not entirely sure how good I would be though.

[Kiahdaj]

One of the biggest problems is that we have quite a lot of new people, and a pretty small amount of older, active members. Not to mention, if a system like this were implemented, people who wouldn't normally even post would sign up, so there'd be even more newbies who need help.

If any experienced users are willing to give the time, then it sounds good for them, and whoever they help. However, this system spanning to any truly significant portion of the newer community is very unlikely, in my opinion.

 

Also, (I believe it was) Nobillis suggested a very similar idea, and might have even made a thread about it. I don't remember.

 

I also wonder why some people answered the poll with "I would adopt", and "Adopt me!". I don't think it's a good idea to "adopt" anyone, if you yourself do not feel confident in this.

[CyberD]

Yeah. I saw the idea on the reddit and thought it was mildly interesting. Then I noticed that people were scoring themselves on a scale of 1-10.....

 

Sure it's not going to be a large scale thing but I see no reason why you couldn't try and see what happens.

 

I'm going to use the word mentor instead of adopting.

I think the easiest way to set it up would be to have the potential mentor post about themselves and then leave it up to the new/unsure members to PM them, just like the r/tulpas system. Don't get into scoring or anything nonsensical like that.

In a proper thread with no other discussion in between the mentor makes a post that outlines make a post telling everyone about themselves. They can also link material they have provided on the forum, PR threads, Guides, discussions etc if they so choose.

 

Then the person looking for a mentor (or a buddy) PM's that person and they go from there. That's all there is to it, no need to over complicate it or go into it expecting wonders to happen.

[Kaz with a K]

One of the biggest problems is that we have quite a lot of new people, and a pretty small amount of older, active members. Not to mention, if a system like this were implemented, people who wouldn't normally even post would sign up, so there'd be even more newbies who need help.

If any experienced users are willing to give the time, then it sounds good for them, and whoever they help. However, this system spanning to any truly significant portion of the newer community is very unlikely, in my opinion.

 

Also, (I believe it was) Nobillis suggested a very similar idea, and might have even made a thread about it. I don't remember.

 

I also wonder why some people answered the poll with "I would adopt", and "Adopt me!". I don't think it's a good idea to "adopt" anyone, if you yourself do not feel confident in this.

 

Well, maybe I'm overestimating the power of old members, and under estimating the amount of new members, but like I mentioned earlier, people can take on more than one "adoptee" if they feel up to it. I do understand what you mean though, because if ten people take on 3 each, eventually there will be more than 30 people in need. I also understand that (most :p) people have a life outside of tulpa.info. But, newbies don't stay newbies forever. I don't epect people to stay in the system for too long, perhaps just to get their wheels rolling on the right path. And then, later they can become mentors. And like you said, implementing this will definitely draw out more people, but if we can get through the initial burst, we can also pull out more mentors from the rough.

 

I searched for a similar thread, which I probably should have done earlier, but all I could find was someone asking for a "tulpa tutor".

 

Yeah...I think the poll having a multiple-choice feature meant something, but right now to me it looks stupid. Sorry.