How to Be a Fangirl
To be a fangirl, learn as much as you can about your idol by reading articles about them and watching their videos online. Also, try visiting some fan blogs and websites so you can find other fangirls and immerse yourself in the fandom. If you're not already, follow your idol on social media sites like Twitter and Instagram to keep up on their life and any important announcements they make. You can even purchase your idol's merchandise, like t-shirts and posters, to show you're a true fan.
Choose a fandom, if you haven’t already. You can be a fangirl of just about any piece of pop culture you want! Most fangirls focus on either fictional people or real-life ones, but you can pick and choose between them as you want. Major fandoms are typically focused on a book, TV show, video game, or musical artist, but fandoms also exist for plays and sports teams. Some popular fandoms include: Potterheads (the Harry Potter series) Whovians (the show “Doctor Who”) Hunters/SPN Family (the show “Supernatural) Directioners (the band One Direction) 5SOS Fam (the band 5 Seconds of Summer) Swifties (the artist Taylor Swift) Bro Army (the YouTuber Pewdiepie) Phandom (the YouTubers Phil Lester and Dan Howell) A.R.M.Y. (the K-pop band BTS) Trekkies (the show and movie series “Star Trek”) Duffers(Narnia{either books or movies}) Find out as much as you can about the show, movie, book, or person. Look up the idol or show that you love and start watching their videos, reading articles about them, and learning more about their background. Look up pictures and fun facts to feel closer to your idol. Go in whatever direction interests you and have fun with it! If you like a band or artist, you might listen to their songs, watch their music videos and interviews, and find out more about each member's personality and interests. If you like a show, movie, or book, find out more about the people who created it. Where did they get their inspiration from? What are the actors like in real life? Follow your idols and other fans on social media. Look up your idol on sites like Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram and start following them, if you don't already. As you're browsing through their feeds, look at the comments and check out the profiles of fans who have something interesting or funny to say. Look back at your idol's older posts to learn more about their history and how they've changed over time. Following other fan accounts is a great way to start immersing yourself in the fandom and learning how other fans talk to each other and express their love. Look up fan blogs and websites to get an idea of what the fandom is like. Most major fandoms have their own fan sites, blogs, and wiki pages, which are great resources for a beginning fangirl. Google the name of your idol and “fan website” or “fan blog” and start looking at the more general sites first. Find a few that you enjoy and bookmark them, or make accounts so you can start looking around their forums. Read fanfiction or look up fan art to see what fans are creating. Passionate fans in almost all fandoms, no matter how small, are known for making and sharing their own creative work around the idol. You'll start to run across the works quickly, especially on places like Tumblr, which is the most popular site for fandom art and writing. From there, you can start following artists and writers that you enjoy and find other websites where they post. Fanfiction, which are fictional stories written about a fictional or real-life idol, is often posted on sites like Archive of Our Own (AO3), Fanfiction.net, Quotev, and Wattpad. Fan art can be drawings, gifs, video edits, and any other visual creations centered around the fandom. Hang out in the background before you start posting on your own. It's best to get a feel for a fandom before you start posting your own material or jumping into pre-existing conversations. Take your time and ease into your research, figure out what your particular interests are in the fandom, and start getting involved when you're ready! For example, if you don't feel ready to start commenting on fan sites yet, just browse the forums and see what other fans are talking about. If you think you might want to make art about your idol or write articles or fanfiction about them, take a look at what's already been posted to get ideas and inspiration for your own work. Learn fandom terminology. Language particular to fandoms have started to enter general usage, but it still helps to learn a few key terms to ensure that you know what people are talking about. Some words you'll see a lot include: “Canon”: the source material, typically used in fiction-based fandoms. For example, the original books in the Harry Potter series would be considered canon. In fanfiction, a “canon” work is aligned with the original storyline. “Feels”: Extreme feelings, usually of sadness, heartbreak, or joy. Fans often use this term during a particularly intense or wonderful scene or performance. “Theories”: Fan-made ideas, such as predictions about a next season of a show or an analysis of a possible hidden storyline. “Fan wars”: These occur when 2 or more fandoms argue about which one is better. Twilight vs. Harry Potter is a classic example. Fan wars can get out of hand quickly, so it's best to stay out of them whenever possible. “Shipping”: Rooting for 2 characters or real-life people to get together romantically. When you ship a couple, you become a shipper, and they are your ship. “OTP”: This stands for “One True Pairing,” or the ship you feel most strongly about in the fandom. Choose a ship, if you want to. Shipping can be a fun way to get involved in a fandom, as long as you do it carefully and respectfully. If you like the way 2 people or characters interact and you think they're a good fit for each other, they could be the perfect pairing for your first ship. Don't feel obligated to do this, though—plenty of fangirls are involved in the fandom without shipping anyone. Be respectful towards your ships, especially if they're real people. It's OK to ship people together, but don't force it on them. That can make your idols feel awkward and uncomfortable, which is the last thing that any fan wants. Respect other fans' ships as well. “Ship wars” occur when fans argue amongst each other about which ship is best, which is totally unnecessary. Support your ship without bringing anyone else's down. Make social media fan accounts and start posting. Many fans choose to have social media accounts dedicated to their fandom, often separate from their personal or private accounts. This is a great way to keep your fan activities separate from your everyday life, especially when you might not want to share your interests with everyone you know. Choose a username and profile picture related to your fandom. Start following your idol as well as other fan accounts to gain your own following. You can post about recent performances or publications, share pictures and videos you love, or share your own theories. Remember to stay safe and respectful when you post.  if you like to write. Post fanfiction, Fanfiction can be a great way to express your love for your idols, and share it with the rest of your fandom. Read other fanfics in your fandom to get an idea of what's already out there, then let your creativity go wild! Your fic can involve your ship or OTP, can take place within the canon storyline or in an alternative universe (AU), and can be as realistic or fantastical as you want. Fanfiction about celebrities or real people is known as RPF, or Real Person Fic. If you want to share your fanfic, you can post it online at sites like Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction.net, or Wattpad. Create fan art,  video edits, and gifs if visual arts are more your style. You can also get involved in your fandom by creating original art, like illustrations or animations, either by hand or on a computer. If you prefer video-editing, you can put together fan videos from outside source material, or create gifs about your idol. If you feel like sharing your creations, Tumblr is a great place to start! You can also post them on Twitter or Instagram. Like fanfic, fan art is sometimes called “fanworks,” which include anything you create in honor of your idol or idols. Buy merchandise to show your love. Buy posters, CDs, DVDs, books, clothes, jewelry, stuffed animals—anything that you like that reminds you of your idol! Shop online and take a look at what other fans buy and wear to decide what you want. Look for items that are specific to your fandom, such as wands for Harry Potter or Doctor Who's sonic screwdriver pen. Follow and interact with the most well-known fans in the fandom. See who has a lot of followers on social media, whose fanworks get the most traction online, and whose posts you enjoy the most. Start following them to see how they interact in the fandom and pick up a few tips. When you're just starting out in a fandom, learning from its most popular and knowledgeable fans is a great way to find your footing. You can find popular fans on social media, especially Twitter and Tumblr, as well as on fanwork-dedicated sites. Join a fansite or forum to talk to other fans in a less public space. If talking to other fans on public social media feeds feels a little intimidating, join a fan website or forum. These spaces are more insular, meaning you won't have to deal with trolls or bullies like you would on bigger sites. You'll also be able to meet more fans and delve even deeper into the different parts of your fandom! You can find fansites by googling the name of your idol or fandom, followed by “fan site” or “fan forum.” If you like the site, make an account by creating a username and password. Direct message people who seem kind, funny, or similar to you. Reaching out to other fans directly is a great way to pick up tips on making your way through a fandom, producing fanworks, learning about your idols, and more. Try sending a message to a fan that seems kind and receptive and starting a conversation—you might just make a great friend! You might start a conversation by saying something like, “Hey, I loved that gif set you posted a few days ago!! They're my OTP and I just can't stop staring haha. Are you gonna do any others soon?” You can use direct message boxes on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, or Facebook. Talk to your IRL friends about your idol, if they’re interested. Most fandom interactions take place online, but it doesn't have to be that way! If your IRL (in real life) friends seem interested, tell them a little about the idol you love. Share videos, books, songs, or interviews with them and explain why you love them so much. You just might help them become another fangirl or fanboy! Head to conventions or fan meetups. A great way to meet other fans in real life is to head to real-life fan meetups or conventions, where fans will get together to talk all things fandom! At larger or more official events, your idols themselves might even show up. For example, if you're in a comics-, movie-, or book-related fandom, there's a good chance you'll see some of the main actors or creators at conventions like ComiCon. To take your fandom to the next level at these meetups, try cosplaying! For music-related fandoms, go to concerts and signing events. Remember to always exercise caution when meeting an online friend in-person. Meet in a public place and bring a friend or family member to make sure you're safe. Respect your idol’s personal life. You may want to know everything you can about your idol, but you also don't want to invade their privacy. If your idol is a real person, try not to look too deeply into their personal lives, including their families and romantic relationships. The same goes for the creators or actors involved in a canon work. Part of being a fangirl is wanting your idol to be happy and healthy. Enjoy the things they create, interact with them in ways that they like, and let them live their own lives. For example, don't try to find out where your idol lives or who they're dating, and avoid looking for their family online as well. If your idol feels comfortable sharing personal things, then it's fine to read about them, but make sure that it's coming straight from them and not from gossip websites or paparazzi. Don’t freak out over every rumor you hear. Rumors can fly fast around fandoms, but try not to believe everything you hear. It can be painful to see something negative posted about your idol, like a band breaking up or a romantic relationship starting or ending, but wait until things are officially confirmed before you spread news that isn't true. Remember that a rumor can only be confirmed by the idol or their management team, such as by posting a picture or putting out an official statement. You can help to dispel untrue rumors by politely reminding other fans when things have been confirmed or not. Say something like, “I heard that too, but I won't believe it until they've officially confirmed.” Avoid getting involved in fandom wars. When different fandoms go head to head, things can get ugly. If you notice fans from one fandom attacking another, stay out of it, no matter how you feel. Remember that you're in the fandom to express your love for your idol, not your dislike of anyone else's. Respect the preferences of other fans in your fandom. It's OK not to like every fan in your fandom, but don't be rude to them or criticize their opinions. Perspectives can vary a lot even in the same fandom, so let every fan love what they love about your idol and express that love openly without being judged. It's OK to disagree with someone and have a conversation about your differing perspectives, but keep it polite. Say something like, “Not sure I agree, but you can have your own opinion.” Remember that you're both in this fandom for the love of your idol, not to argue with each other. Stay calm when others don’t understand your fandom. Sometimes passionate fans can get made fun of, both online and in real life, or have to deal with friends or family not understanding their love. This happens frequently, but can still hurt. Try calmly explaining why you like your idol so much, or simply ignoring any teasers until they go away. You can say something like, “Maybe it seems weird to you, but Star Trek means a lot to me. The acting is great and it actually teaches a lot of important lessons. You should try watching some time.” You can also ignore any haters—they'll likely lose interest and go away eventually. If it feels more comfortable, you can also simply avoid talking about your idol or your fandom in real life. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the fandom and community online without mentioning it to those around you, especially if you think you might get teased. Be critical of your fandom and its source work. Just because you love something doesn't mean you should ignore its flaws, or get offended when someone points them out. Being a fan means understanding what's good about the thing you're passionate about, and what still needs work. You can politely call out problematic fan behavior or canon material, such as when something or someone comes off as racist or sexist. Say something like, “I love this show, but this episode really wasn't OK with me.” Keep your tone polite and look for ways to solve the problem or deepen your understanding of it, not insult other people. 
Choose a fandom, if you haven’t already. Find out as much as you can about the show, movie, book, or person. Follow your idols and other fans on social media. Look up fan blogs and websites to get an idea of what the fandom is like. Read fanfiction or look up fan art to see what fans are creating. Hang out in the background before you start posting on your own. Learn fandom terminology. Choose a ship, if you want to. Make social media fan accounts and start posting.  if you like to write. Create fan art,  video edits, and gifs if visual arts are more your style. Buy merchandise to show your love. Follow and interact with the most well-known fans in the fandom. Join a fansite or forum to talk to other fans in a less public space. Direct message people who seem kind, funny, or similar to you. Talk to your IRL friends about your idol, if they’re interested. Head to conventions or fan meetups. Respect your idol’s personal life. Don’t freak out over every rumor you hear. Avoid getting involved in fandom wars. Respect the preferences of other fans in your fandom. Stay calm when others don’t understand your fandom. Be critical of your fandom and its source work. 