To me it really hasn't. I never planned on being a toy collector till I was 10 and bought my first TFTM figure and the memories felt so good that I just wanted to keep buying them! I'm 14 now about to turn 15. None of my friends make fun of me, the may think its a waste of time but they don't really care. As to my Dad sometimes he may get upset of me spending so much money and always talking about transformers, but he likes transformers and he wants me to keep collecting if it makes me feel good and keeps me away from drugs and alcohol coming from a high school that that is all you see! I don't even plan on stopping and I'm scared to stop and I have gained many new friends and has helped me stay away from problems. So yea it has changed my life in a good way!

 

If you would have told me that 5 years ago,I would be getting pumped up with chemo,my hair would be falling out,and most of my teeth would decay,look me in the eye and said "doctor said your out of the woods now,all up hill from here" I would say your crazy. I was diagnosed with stage 2 testicular cancer. Which means my little lump that had roots had spread well into my abdomen,there always was a 95 percent survival rate,but these treatments are not cheap. When all was said and done and i was able to come home,one of the first things my sister got for me as a welcome home gift,was a transformers armada optimus prime. As I struggled to get myself back together,he was the one thing that would entertain me as I lay in bed.Hell, because of this random purchase my sister made at the flea market,It would motivate me to gather the energy I didn't know I had and check ebay to see what I had missed all these years,and from there the rest is history. years later I am back to 100 percent,working six days a week,being able to provide my family with a good life( I live with my mom and sister but I pay all the bills here at home)When my room gets to full with toys I sell them,I enjoy the thrill of the hunt,and getting that box in the mail. I'm sorry if I had bored anyone with my rambling reply,I'll cut to the chase. How did collecting transformers effect my life? I tendd to go through buyers remorse,I look at ebay listings as "this person must be nuts to ask 90 bucks for a voyager class classics optimus prime!"I look to the toys I have as reference when it comes to my art,and my animating. There will be ups and downs when you collect anything.When it comes to transformers, IT PICKED ME UP WHEN I NEVER HAD THE URGE TO EVEN STAND!
thank you for your time in reading this!
this forum,the people in it, are just awesome.

 

Now I know why you sold me Aveo Swerve . 

 

Well, on the up side I was never convicted of a DUI or Drug Possesion. Down side, it's very hard to find an attractive Transformers Fan of the opposite sex who is single, for usually all the hot ones are taken  

However, I at least have enough for........porn (I am so weak)

 

Like many of you, Transformers helps keep my inner child. There are times I can be quite bitter and cynical (having an interest in current affairs and military history will do that to you) so it is nice to have an outlet for that childish energy.

Collecting Transformers has also given me a totally awesome collection of plastic robots that make my house rock even more than before.

 

Transformers is the second most positive thing in my life. I have collected them since I was five, it was something I shared with my brother growing up and I have made hundred of friends from it.

The most positive thing in my life was joining a gym, but man, if you ignore your Transformers for six months they are all still there as you remembered them. Can't say the same for ignoring the gym for six months.

The reason I mention both is that the gym helps negate any of the downsides of being a collector, and it creates a healthy balance.

Of course, the negative in being a buff geek (edit: fat at the moment) at shows means some people are wary of you, and in a gym environment there aren't that many cerebral people to hang with, so sometimes I feel I have a foot in each world but no place in either, but fuck the negatives.

 

Being a major fan and collector has been really good to me. Its helped me keep out of trouble, and I've met some really cool and awesome people through Youtube (doing stop-motions) and of here on TFW. My friends all pretty much like Transformers and have a interest in it, even though I'm the only collector. My family is cool with it, although I will get the occasional jab from both friends and family. Only negative is some people obviously don't think this kinda stuff is cool and I get picked on some, but its not too bad. I'm really surprised by the number of people at my school that don't mind, but at the same time, I'm not complaining.
Being a fan and collector has been good, I plan to keep it going for a good while. Only negative is when I don't have money lol

 

I actually really love to think about my early tf experiences. I think the first live action movie came out when I was in 3rd or 4th grade. Around 5th grade everyone started talking about it. I'm just like we're fifth graders aren't we too cool for transformers now? Although the prettiest girl who had a great personality in my school was obsessed in the movie. She got to see the shooting for the second one too. So I decided to see the movie to impress her. Turned out I loved it! I even bought some ROTF toys and brought em into school for when we needeed action figures to attach to parachutes. As i predicted nearly everyone forgot theirs, and I brought in a bunch. Although my teeacher wasn't very happy with me as instead of doing the lab everyone just started playing transformers.  
I thought my friends from my basketball team would laugh at me collecting tf, but when they came over, they started playing with em. Sadly I never got the girl, although I settled for her friend who was cool too.  

I had some great experiences with tfs at that age.

So in a way it got me friends.

ALthough now, I don't think there;s too much on the + side about them. I mean I like them which is the main thing, although my dad doesn't really like it, and tfs I want r pretty expensive. Altohugh at 13 now I'm not sure if my journey as a tf fan is ending or taking a new path. I just really don't want to get too obsessed with the hobby. As I am getting a bit addicted and the hobby is taking a lot time I could be spending with friends or doing positve things like working or getting better grades. Although I would like forming a nice little collection with figures I really want. Maybe I'll take a long break until after college, but honestly I don't want to collect plastic for my whole life  

 

This. I'm a 16 year old high school student. Imagine if other people knew of my hobby here. I have few friends, and there are two people on the world who know of my collecting: my parents. And I feel embarassed talking to them about it, so I don't.

So, yea, it's helped me have fun and forget about some of my daily tasks. I've enjoyed doing this. But on the negative side, I feel alone in that I have nobody to talk to (besides my friends on this site) for fear of being humiliated and ostracized.

What's interesting is, through all of this, I still collect. Sorry about the sob story.

 

I agree on the keeping the innocence of being a kid. I really got back into TFs and Joes when my now wife and I got together. Shes been cool in all of this and even let me buy a Flagg when I found one at the local comic shop. Its alsoreally sweet to share something that I grew up with, with my son. Hes going to be 9 this year, so the movies and TFPrime all came out at the perfect time. Even my almost 3 year old daughter, Scout plays with TFs. Theres times I know I shouldnt spend so much, but as long as bills are paid, food on the table, money in savings, and the wife and kids are happy then I figure you only live once. Personally for me it has helped getting back into toys and such has helped me overcome some crap that has happened in my life. Mostly I owe it to you Jen, you gave me 2 great kids.

 

I just need to say this to those younger people here who are scared about being made fun of if anyone at school finds out about their collecting.

I am 28 years old.

I was a geeky little kid in elementary school and picked on for being the goody goody straight A student nerdy girl. It got to the point where in middle school I just said fuck it and went nuts.

I hung out with people that did things I never would have gotten into if I stuck to being me. I was drinking and smoking pot and cigarettes. I was going to keg parties and skipping school... I started trying other drugs like E, coke and acid.

This went on till after high school. When I got to college I was suddenly in a new enviroment. I knew no one. And I met people that were into gaming, and table top RPGs and just geeky. And they didn't do drugs or drink. And I was never happier then I was hanging out with these people and being me.

Now I could care less what my old friends think. I do what I like and have no care for what others may think. It's my money I'm spending, it's my time I'm using to be on the boards or to go looking for the toys I want.

The whole point of this is don't let fear of how people are going to treat you stop you from being you. At the end you are the one who needs to be happy not these other people that you're worried about. I know it's hard to see now but there is a whole world outside of school where those little clicks and groups just don't matter.

For the boys, you'll find an awesome girl (or boy just trying to PC and all) and she will like your collection. Trust me, we girl collectors do exist! Just be you and never be afraid to be you!

 

I'd like to add to the whole "screw em" attitude.

I was similar in getting away from toys due to peer pressure and stuff in high school. I still loved the stuff, but didn't want to be laughed at or judged. But then when I was in college I started growing into myself and became more comfortable in my own skin. I was out at dinner one night with 2 buddies and I noticed a TRU nearby. I asked if we could check it out after dinner. My two buddies were like "uhh, ok." But in we went. This was when Star Trek First Contact came out in 1995. I saw a cool looking Enterprise E toy on the shelves. I picked it up to inspect it, and after a moment's hesitation I said "eff it" and bought it. I picked it up and cheered, and my two buddies laughed, later saying that it had been a fun but weird night. My buddies and I would later use the Star Trek ship as a trophy that we would pass around at get togethers.

After that I totally embraced the nerd-side, and reveled in it. I collected some of the POTF Star Wars figures afterwards, and I would set them up around me when I would study in the dorm dining hall or study room. I usually drew a few smirks, but what was really hilarious was one night I was hanging with a gal pal, and she was asking me why I had the toys. I set the toys up, posed them, and just told her to wait and see. That night, without fail, everytime someone came through the dining hall they would stop and comment on the toys. Several of them picked up the toys and started doing battle with them. My gal pal just sat there with her jaw on the floor. It was pretty hilarious.

I was, and still am, convinced that we all have the inner child, we simply repress it over time due to peer pressure, etc. But when people know they can let down their guard, they will do so, and enjoy it. I'm usually "that guy" that revels in the stuff so much, that others can relax and admit how much they like Transformers, Star Wars, GI Joe, Voltron, Star Trek, etc.

 

Wow man, this story is awesome. That's powerful stuff man. Glad to hear that you are doing well now.

 

Let's just say...

Help me.

 

Collecting Transformers has brought me a lot of joy and excitement. There's the thrill of finding your grails, searching for all the variants. As the TS said, there's this sense of accomplishment when you get the figures you're after, the line you're trying to complete.

My disposable income is spent mostly to TF stuff. I don't buy the latest gadgets like I used to. I bought a cheap priced Android mobile (Samsung Galaxy Y) instead of getting an IPhone.

I'm single and I don't get to spend as much time with my gf as I want to due to several factors like our work schedules, etc. So the money I used to spend on dates go to the TF fund now, hehe.

Most of my friends now are from the local TF community. These are the guys who understand me and do not judge me for loving and collecting toys.

 

I find myself posting comments on threads.
I find myself disliking yellow and black stripe cars.

 

^Thread WON with this post!  

But seriously back on topic: it's something positive in terms of getting to know more like-minded and (mostly decent and good) people here!   In addition, the hobby form me, brings back a wave of nostalgia and a sense of being in terms of discovering new toys, the whole Transformers universe and of course the joy of just enjoying the hobby for what it is worth.  

 

I get immense enjoyment from my small collection. It helps me keep my inner kid alive, but I don't take the hobby so seriously as to make it not fun for myself. Plus, I've met some really cool people in this fandom. Really, in the end, TFs are a fun way to pass the time.  

 

collecting transformers has overall been a great experience. i will say that its a lonely experience for me. only because i have no friends that also collect. i'll get some totally badass figure, anc have no one to show it to. of my 2 closest friends, one of them is a musician, and the other does tattoos, so im always trying to get them into it, but they never bite. but i just cant stop liking transformers. i love the hunt, the wait, the unboxing, all of it. although, every once and awhile i get that guilty feeling of "why did i just spend $200 on a toy?". that feeling usually goes away when get the figure in hand.

 

Transformers kind of filled the void left by Bionicle ending, and kept me from having no hobby. I dug up all of my TFs from storage and started collecting again, and now I have a whole bunch more than I started with!

It's nice to have them, as they are cool to look at and play with. There are some drawbacks though. Nowadays, TFs are expensive compared to a lot of other toys, and the quality isn't as good as it was when I was younger. Pieces on some of my brand new TFs crack right out of the box, but my old toys from 2004 remain unscathed even after I've played with them a billion times. This is why I am saving up for some Masterpieces, as MP Grimlock is one of the sturdiest toys in recent years.