Fandom as a Window to the World with Alice Fanchiang

[00:00:00] Portrait of a Fand girl is a web series and podcast created by Temple of Geek. At the core of

[00:00:14] the project is telling stories of women who have found inspiration, growth, and power through

[00:00:19] fenders. My name is Jenna Ren and I'm the host of the Portrait of a Fand girl podcast

[00:00:24] and I'm here today talking with the fabulous Alice van Chang. How are you Alice? I'm good, how are you?

[00:00:31] I'm doing great! Thank you for agreeing to talk to me today. Thank you for having me.

[00:00:37] Do you just want to tell our listeners a little bit about who you are?

[00:00:42] Okay this is always weird for me because I don't think of myself that way but I guess something

[00:00:48] of a geek fashion-ish influencer. I think that's like how most people kind of know me is that

[00:00:56] like I like to post my geek fashion outfits and talk about the things I love essentially online,

[00:01:02] mostly on Instagram these days. I used to do it more on Twitter but you know that place is sort of

[00:01:09] a weird limbo bad place. It's a bad place. These days. Right so I just want to do a quick recap for our

[00:01:21] listeners who may not be familiar with you but those of you who don't know Alice was one of the women

[00:01:26] who originally inspired the idea of the Portrait of a Fand girl web series and the idea that

[00:01:31] Fand girls are so much more than just a stereotype. The co-creators Emily Schuck and Monica Duarte

[00:01:38] were really taken by the way you used fashion as an expression of your fandom kind of like what

[00:01:43] you were just saying and also by the fact that you really enjoyed traveling to places related to

[00:01:49] your fandoms. Now that interview for the web series was four years ago at this point. Are those

[00:01:56] still the same ways that you express your fandom now? I would say generally speaking obviously

[00:02:03] because of the pandemic there has been a lot less traveling but I still like it's still like

[00:02:11] cool I think to like go to places that are like related to your fandom because it's like another

[00:02:15] way to connect I guess to that thing and also to learn about like the real life places that

[00:02:22] like your fandoms might be inspired by you know so I'm still interested in that it's just like

[00:02:27] I'm more I would say cautious maybe about like choosing like where I want to go or like how I want

[00:02:34] to do it things like that. So I haven't like done any like overseas trips for example since 2019.

[00:02:41] Right so you're mostly domestic like you stay within the United States? Yeah

[00:02:45] yeah so I really love the idea of fandom as a window to the world. So can you tell us some of

[00:02:52] the places that you visited over the years thanks to fandom? Oh my gosh well so the last trip I did

[00:02:59] overseas trip I did before the pandemic was in 2019 and we went to me and like my friends

[00:03:04] went to Scotland and that was because like we watch Outlander together like we have Outlander

[00:03:12] watch parties so for a lot of like I had kind of wanted to go to Scotland in the past because I

[00:03:19] had like a massive crush on you and McGregor. So it's also a fandom thing but I know so I kind

[00:03:28] of had kind of it had kind of been on my like bucket list for a little bit but you know it's not

[00:03:32] like one of the compared to like London you know or Tokyo it's not really like I would say most

[00:03:40] people's like top destination to go to but because like me and this group of friends we when we started

[00:03:45] we started watching Outlander when it started airing as like a group so suddenly it was like I had

[00:03:53] all these other people who also wanted to go to Scotland so kind of like reignited the desire

[00:03:57] to go. So that was like our I would say that was like a pretty fandom based trip because that was

[00:04:03] like the main in-spot for why we wanted to go was because we're like we love Outlander we love

[00:04:08] watching it together and it seems like a cool place to go so that's what you're staying yeah so

[00:04:13] that's like one of the big ones I guess. Now do you do you feel like on these trips you also are

[00:04:19] learning more about the history of the place? Yeah I like history so like I usually do like going

[00:04:27] to like historic sites and things like that so like for Scotland yes a lot of the sites were like

[00:04:34] places I've mentioned in Outlander or that they filmed at but we also just like looked at things like

[00:04:41] you know obviously that people like tourist spots I guess but when we go we always like look at the

[00:04:47] exhibits and like read up on it so it's like really interesting I guess like seeing the history of

[00:04:53] those places and how it's incorporated in the show in some senses because Outlander is sort of

[00:04:59] like a historical fantasy right and and just in general like experiencing the culture like the

[00:05:06] way the people are and like the Scottish people were so nice like ridiculously nice so I would

[00:05:12] like go back in a heartbeat it was so fun that sounds great that's actually some place I'd

[00:05:17] love to visit it's on the top of my list and I've heard only great things only great things about

[00:05:22] the Scottish people yeah they are like ridiculously nice like one of our big stories is like

[00:05:28] obviously we drove around most places and like during one of our like drives through like a really

[00:05:34] naturey area one of my friends like really needs to go use the restroom and we literally just stop

[00:05:39] that someone's house because she was like I need to just ask them like I'm sorry so we're like okay

[00:05:45] like let's stop and ask and like that person let her use the restroom that would never I feel

[00:05:50] like it would never happen here yeah that's what when we left we were like oh my god they were

[00:05:54] like so nice and she was like I never would she's like I don't think I would have done that for a

[00:05:58] stranger right just a completely different different culture really yeah so I really want to go

[00:06:08] to New Zealand because of Lord of the Rings but also yes so I'm sure Lord of the Rings did a lot

[00:06:16] of great tourism for New Zealand I mean it looks so beautiful and then the other thing is my current

[00:06:26] big obsession is like BTS and they have like a travel show sort of thing that they do

[00:06:32] and one of the seasons they go to New Zealand for like a week really so yeah so that's like

[00:06:38] another reason why I'm like I want to go where they went it's really interesting because you're

[00:06:45] really exploring the world thanks in part to being federal yeah have you always been a worldwide

[00:06:54] traveler or was there a specific fandom or interest that kind of sent you on that path I would say

[00:07:01] I've always kind of been like a traveler in the sense that like are my parents like ever since we

[00:07:08] were young kind of put like an emphasis on travel I don't know because they're immigrants so obviously

[00:07:13] they like moved here from another country but like and so they go used to go back

[00:07:21] not super often they're from Taiwan so when we were young like I've done a few trips back to

[00:07:26] Taiwan to see like my maternal grandparents but so in that sense it's like that at least is like

[00:07:31] built-in of like a travel like we would do because of family but besides that like I think they

[00:07:41] they always emphasize my sister and I were young like that travel should be a thing that you do

[00:07:48] because it essentially is like expand your horizons you know so we always used to do like family trips

[00:07:57] every couple of years which I guess is kind of unusual especially as you get older you know but like

[00:08:03] some of like the bigger trips I've done have been with my family like in 2018 our most recent one

[00:08:10] we went to China and that was like planned by like my mom and we went with our parents basically you

[00:08:18] know so I like both me and my sister are like adults now so I think it's like kind of unusual

[00:08:23] you know to like travel with your parents a lot but lovely though yeah you get to kind of have

[00:08:29] that you know your experience in the world but you also get to make those memories with your family

[00:08:33] yeah yeah so so yeah kind of traveling is always kind of like built-in I guess to

[00:08:38] at least like my family DNA and and for our mom has always just said other than it being fun issue

[00:08:44] is like well I don't want you to like just like grow up in like a little bubble and think that like

[00:08:49] this is just like the only way that people live or like the only way things are done you know

[00:08:56] so so I really appreciate that so that's why it's kind of like when I'm older and like you know

[00:09:01] so I'm like oh no opinion about stuff and like doing fandom things it was like natural to be like

[00:09:07] oh well like like what was this based on or like where did they film this like that'd be kind of

[00:09:12] cool to like see if it's a real place you know right very interesting your your family sounds like

[00:09:20] they are a lot of fun so what are some tips for fandom traveling that you have like what do

[00:09:27] you think people really need to know before setting out on these type of adventures research

[00:09:36] I definitely like I'm not a planner so again really grateful for people like my mom who love

[00:09:42] planning things or some of the friends that I've traveled with but like they're better planners

[00:09:46] than I am but I would definitely say research because especially if you're doing other things

[00:09:53] like you want to make sure that you're not like wasting time anywhere because sometimes the like

[00:09:59] spots are like hard to get to or they're like a little bit out of the way you know so like

[00:10:06] I went to I think I forget what year was was a 2015 no I don't know in the early 20

[00:10:15] when pandemic right it was basically when like when Sherlock was like really popular right and like

[00:10:21] my sister and I had gone to to London and so we were like oh we should just look up some of the

[00:10:28] places where they shot Sherlock you know like where they're 221 B like on the show and

[00:10:34] so it's like you can look up where that is and it wasn't like hard to get to but it was like

[00:10:40] kind of out of the way you know like it wasn't really like it was it's in London proper but like

[00:10:45] it's not like next to like a big tourist attraction or whatever so or like a big historical site

[00:10:51] so it's like we literally got on you know the underground or wherever to get to that spot

[00:10:59] to take a picture and then had to like leave to the next place so if you don't want to like waste

[00:11:04] a lot of time or like there are a lot of things you want to see I would say definitely like research

[00:11:09] the things that you want to see if it's like worth it to you to like go to if it's out of the way

[00:11:16] or like if it costs money to get into and then that way you can like plan your schedule accordingly

[00:11:22] and also sometimes it's like there are places that like you can't get to so also don't you know

[00:11:27] break any laws trust or whatever you know it's a very very good tip yeah yeah so I mean

[00:11:37] I'm getting a good you're getting a good overview basically of where you're going to be

[00:11:41] what you want to see how to get there yeah yeah and like also so you don't miss out on something

[00:11:46] that like you really want to say so oh my gosh that reminds me of like a really embarrassing

[00:11:50] buffening story is like this is definitely in 2015 I liked it like a US history trip because I'm

[00:11:56] like really into the the revolution okay yeah so that like era of US history is like my favorite

[00:12:03] era the revolutionary era and then that was the year that Hamilton went to Broadway so then I

[00:12:09] went to the I was like I want to do an East Coast trip I want to like hit up some of the big like

[00:12:15] revolutionary era spots right and then like go to New York and see Hamilton

[00:12:22] so then so we did like Washington DC and New York and then and then Boston like a little bit of

[00:12:29] like Massachusetts so when we were in DC obviously like we you know went to the Smithsonian

[00:12:36] we went to the Library of Congress like that stuff and then we left and went to New York

[00:12:40] and I was like posting about it and like my friend that I was staying with in Boston

[00:12:45] she was like commenting on my stories and well it's like oh I can't wait to see you because I was

[00:12:49] staying with her and then she goes did you see the declaration of independence

[00:12:53] and I was like what and she's like well you were in DC did you go see the declaration of independence

[00:13:00] and I was like no I don't know what I just like didn't think about it I don't know like

[00:13:07] it was just like not something in my brain but like when she said that I was like oh my god

[00:13:13] I didn't go straight there yeah so so that's why I'm like definitely think about what you

[00:13:19] want to see and make sure you know if it's there right yeah so I did not see the declaration of

[00:13:26] independence and I haven't been back to Washington DC since 2015 so I still have not seen the declaration

[00:13:33] of independence well you'll have to come do an East Coast trip I'm in New York and I was in DC

[00:13:38] for a whole semester of college studying American history and never saw the declaration of independence

[00:13:43] okay we should go together as we should I also feel that way I'm like man I was there to study

[00:13:50] American history and I did not see the declaration of independence so we'll plan it okay okay

[00:13:56] yeah next month yes stay tuned for your portion of a fan girl yeah yeah we'll do a special

[00:14:02] episode about us finally seeing the declaration of independence oh I would love that I would love

[00:14:08] that so you're well known on Instagram and in the geek fashion community for your pop culture

[00:14:15] inspired looks as you touched on briefly before how did your journey into fashion begin

[00:14:20] and how does it compare to your style now oh my gosh it's so weird because like like I said I don't

[00:14:27] really think of myself that way and like growing up I wouldn't say I was like a fashion person

[00:14:33] if anything like in high school I think I was just like known for like accessories like I

[00:14:38] loved jewelry right but yeah so I don't really know like too much how that happened like I used to

[00:14:45] not post pictures of myself too much on Instagram either it would just be like my dog right like

[00:14:51] or like some what I ate but I think I feel like it must have been like when

[00:14:58] kind of like the early days of Disney bounding I think when it was like starting to get

[00:15:03] more popular and then other people were doing so I think it was like Disney bound wasn't quite

[00:15:09] like super well-known yet and then and then like other girls were doing

[00:15:17] like those geek fashion challenges and I think I was just like well I mean I like to dress in

[00:15:24] theme sometimes like when I go to places where I'm like oh this would be cute because it's like

[00:15:27] like I'm going to like an art museum right like a lot of a shirt with like you know Van Gogh

[00:15:32] like some flowers on it like I'm gonna wear that if I'm going to museum and there's like a van

[00:15:36] goes in it so I think when I saw that I was just kind of like well that seems kind of fun so maybe

[00:15:40] I'll just do it so I think I I there was one called nerd member that like I think that's actually how

[00:15:51] found Jordan like from Jordan to nay because I think she participated in it she didn't run it

[00:15:57] it was by two other girls that I can't think of right now I think one of them was is the owner of like

[00:16:05] they used to be called gold bubble clothing but I think they're called pop galaxy now

[00:16:09] I think she was one of the original like people who hosted that the nerd member thing and basically

[00:16:15] it was like they had like 30 prompts all through November and it was like participate as you will

[00:16:20] and I think they gave prizes so very similar to how the startorial geek

[00:16:25] challenges run and then so I was I was just like well I have a bunch of geek clothes now you know

[00:16:32] so you know mostly t-shirts back then it was mostly like graphic teeth so I was like well

[00:16:37] that'd be fun like I can do that like if it's Star Wars or Star Wars t-shirt and I have like

[00:16:42] you know like galaxy lagging so I'll like do an outfit with that because it's like themed space

[00:16:46] and I think that's how I just sort of like got into it because you know everyone who participated

[00:16:52] was like really nice I think it's just fun like for all of us to see other women doing something

[00:16:58] like that and you're like oh wow like look at everyone's different fashion or like you discover new

[00:17:02] brands like oh my gosh like I've like I said I think that's how I found Jordan because I think

[00:17:07] I don't know if Jordan participated or one of the other participants like had a Jordan denatier

[00:17:13] and I was like that's so cute like what is that brand you know yeah so kind of creates like almost like

[00:17:19] a sense of community basically you're all kind of seeing that you have the same interest in

[00:17:25] creating like a little community there mm-hmm so I think that's just how I started doing it and then

[00:17:30] I was like well I guess all I guess it's fine like oh I guess I probably have some more pictures of myself

[00:17:36] when I like like my outfit um and I think it helped like when like a cat my sister and I like finally

[00:17:43] went to comic-con for the first time because then I was like every day I want to have like a different

[00:17:48] themed outfit so like I like actually planned out my outfits like that first year I mean I plan

[00:17:53] out my outfits like every year now but but that year it was very like you know it was new so I

[00:17:58] was just like oh my gosh this day it's gonna be like Star Wars space themed and then like this day

[00:18:03] I have like this I don't know like like a Hannibal themed thing like oh we're plaid and like flower

[00:18:12] like that sort of thing so I think like that sort of like boosted me more into being like oh I want to

[00:18:18] do this and then like I said like Disney bounding started getting big so like I was like oh that's

[00:18:21] such a cute idea it's sort of like something I already do I just like never you know how to

[00:18:26] and have like a name for it right and I was like it's so cool to other people

[00:18:31] like have the same idea and like it's cute and it's easy like it's meant to be kind of like you know

[00:18:36] easy to do so like all those things I think helped me like get into it. It's very cool journey

[00:18:44] for you there. So as you mentioned um you have modeled or sorry when we read that question sorry

[00:18:51] oh my gosh you mentioned Jordan today before and I know you have modeled for Jordan and Elhoffer

[00:19:00] designs as well what has your experience with brand partnership and like um generally positive

[00:19:07] like I said I'm not really like uh like a big like I would look at it I don't call myself an

[00:19:13] influencer really so I don't have like a big account so I don't get like many like brand

[00:19:19] sort of partnership type requests but like you said mostly my two major ones are Jordan and Elhoffer

[00:19:27] and then it's like Jordan I know personally so it's like always fun to like do stuff with her

[00:19:33] because she's really chill and like literally I think the the only like professional I guess

[00:19:40] like photo shoot I did with her was when I was just visiting New York I was like I want to see

[00:19:45] you and then she was like oh I have some new stuff if you have time do mine coming to take some

[00:19:50] pictures so I was like okay yeah so so like that is like it was very casually chill and it was

[00:19:57] just like a hangout for us um with Elhoffer it's also just kind of like I like new Katie from

[00:20:08] just interacting with her online and seeing her like you know amazing like designs right

[00:20:14] so so it's just one of the things where I'm like I was grateful that they like reached out to me

[00:20:19] to just be like oh kind of like you've been a long time like fan and customer

[00:20:23] would you be interested to you know work with us like do something with this so also with them

[00:20:27] it's it's more a set up like a like a you know like a professional photo shoot but like everyone is

[00:20:36] like super nice and like most people that they ask are like amateurs you know like I'm not like a

[00:20:42] model so I like I'm not like I totally know what I'm doing like crush the posing or whatever but

[00:20:48] they're very supportive and like so it's a very like comfortable atmosphere with them so yeah

[00:20:57] so it's it's been good I think I mean I met all these people through the community you know like

[00:21:02] fandom community so in general working with both of them has been like very

[00:21:09] comfortable and fulfilling and like nice because it is just kind of turns into like a little bit

[00:21:13] of a hangout like we all just catch up with each other you know right so it's like a little mixture

[00:21:17] of business and pleasure I guess you could say right so what is your personal philosophy to

[00:21:24] staying authentic and true to yourself while also supporting these different brands um I just

[00:21:33] try to think of it like how I enjoy social media is that like I I understand that like especially

[00:21:42] for influencers that it is like a business for them right like I it's easy for me I think to

[00:21:47] be authentic because I just post on my account as a like a private citizen you know like so it's

[00:21:55] like the stuff I post really is just like the things I'm doing or the things that I like and

[00:22:00] so for me I'm like if I really like a brand I want to support you know small business I just like

[00:22:08] talk about it but I also think about like like I said for like big influencers or like I sometimes

[00:22:14] when I am doing something for say Jordan or like her universe it's like there are brand obligations

[00:22:21] so like for big influencers obviously they have a lot of brand obligations so I try to like

[00:22:26] understand that like well you want to fulfill the brand obligations but as a person who is like on

[00:22:31] social media I don't want to always be like sold to you know right so so I think for me it's like

[00:22:38] I just try to think about like well if I've like already posted you know this many things and they

[00:22:46] all sound like ads like I should chill out like I don't have like five posts in a row that's all

[00:22:52] like buy this there's a sale here whatever you know like I try to think about like like like you

[00:22:59] know if I was just like a regular person like scrolling like I want to see the stuff but I don't

[00:23:05] necessarily want to always feel like oh bye bye bye you know so but like I said like if I really

[00:23:11] like something I'll talk about it but I am just like a little bit of where a little bit aware of

[00:23:16] like is this coming off like a sale post so like sometimes it's like I won't talk about it too much

[00:23:20] but I'll like at least tag the things you know but who personally like right yeah so it's like

[00:23:28] like I really like this outfit but I'm not trying to make it seem like oh my god go buy this or like

[00:23:33] you know because I'm a brand ambassador for this like go buy this thing I'll just be like oh well

[00:23:37] like I wore this outfit it was cute and I do like these brands people might want to know so

[00:23:42] write my like little caption about what what I'm doing and then I'll just like tag the things that

[00:23:47] I'm wearing you know right and then people can find it you know that way it's more of look

[00:23:53] with like look at this I got it here if you want to check it out you could check it out sort of thing

[00:23:57] yeah yeah and it's like or you know ask me about it and that's totally fine like you can ask me

[00:24:00] right so you're open to communication on social media yeah okay um so getting more to

[00:24:11] the present I know we talked about the pandemic um but now fast-forwarding to present times

[00:24:16] uh sometimes it feels like we're really stuck in a time loop where I think that women love

[00:24:21] or that women contribute are not taken seriously always and you know it doesn't

[00:24:30] it doesn't change it really is a time loop um despite the of discussion around the subject

[00:24:35] for example recently there were some jokes uh that jokoi made during the golden globes at

[00:24:40] the expense of Taylor Swift and the Barbie movie or there was a viral tick-tock where psychological

[00:24:47] psychotic sorry we redo that or there was the viral tick-tock where a psychologist Sadia Khan said

[00:24:55] do we need more women in star wars no we don't and women don't even like star wars

[00:25:00] do you feel these moments are uniting us or do you think it's becoming more divisive among fan

[00:25:07] girls I feel like it's still I feel like those moments still unite us in the sense that like

[00:25:15] I mean like even for me like that star wars thing I haven't like super been posting that much

[00:25:22] like or that excited about star wars a little for a little while but like hearing that like got me so

[00:25:28] mad yeah you know I think it's like the same thing that you said where you're like are we really

[00:25:32] having this discussion again again yeah that like it just like like it definitely got me fired up

[00:25:39] again a little bit and I actually posted about star wars right to be like no we've been here

[00:25:46] we will still be here so I do think it's like those moments while they suck I do think they still

[00:25:52] like bring people together because I like it was really nice for me at least with that star wars

[00:25:57] thing because like I said I haven't been like in the last couple years I've been a little bit more

[00:26:01] distant from the fandom but like seeing the the people who who responded to that like with posts

[00:26:10] and reels and stuff of their own like a lot of those girls are not like the same women that like

[00:26:17] I necessarily saw around when I was super active in the fandom so for me it was like super nice because

[00:26:23] I'm like wow see like it's true though like fan girls have always been here and they'll continue to

[00:26:29] be here because I'm like look at all these new fans that like I've never seen some of these accounts

[00:26:34] before or like you know none of these people like literally the galactic oven stuff we did

[00:26:41] was in 2020 you know like and I saw so many new fan girls then because we got so many like

[00:26:49] interactions and like participation in our community events even those all online obviously

[00:26:56] but it was like I feel like I was like wow like look at all these fan girls I've like never seen

[00:27:00] so many fan girls before it like felt so good but like the girls who were doing

[00:27:06] their responses to like that Star Wars sound bite we're like girls who like were not part of

[00:27:12] that wave of stuff that like I personally experienced you know so for me it was like really nice

[00:27:18] because I'm like well look at this people are still finding Star Wars or like getting into it

[00:27:23] or because they saw like you know a new wave of like Star Wars fan girls who are like becoming

[00:27:29] like influencers in the community like they're really getting into it or like feel comfortable showing

[00:27:36] their stuff you know right so so I feel like in general it's still like uniting it's just like

[00:27:44] frustrating that these opinions or things still happen and you're like how many times have we

[00:27:49] shown that like there is like a female audience that like enjoys these like nerd properties you know

[00:27:56] like I don't know the like actual statistics but most of the time I'm like I think we spend more

[00:28:03] money than the boys do on these fandoms so I like really do not know why like it's so it takes

[00:28:12] so long for like the I guess like the needle on society to like move even just a little bit on this

[00:28:19] it's such as such a silly thing like I feel like a lot of times it's the you know sometimes

[00:28:25] the loudest voice isn't the most accurate voice to represent people right

[00:28:31] how do you cope with bigotry and misogyny in fandom I don't know I mean I'm like I guess I'm lucky that I

[00:28:38] don't I haven't like experienced too much of it like directly again I think partly because I'm not

[00:28:43] like a big account but I do see like these big accounts who get a lot of this like pushback and

[00:28:49] I think it's just that thing where like you do have to realize that like online isn't everything

[00:28:56] right you know so I think I feel like the pandemic helped in that sense because we were all

[00:29:00] chronically online yes during the pandemic and then like I it made me realize that like

[00:29:09] like too much of that really is a bad thing because I think you start like fixating on like

[00:29:14] really dumb things that like do not matter or or like things that like I would be like why am I

[00:29:20] getting mad about this like this doesn't usually affect me but I'm like oh I realize it's because

[00:29:25] I'm stuck at home I have nowhere to go so I'm like constantly seeing like this annoying behavior

[00:29:30] from like you know certain people or like on you know on Twitter or whatever so so I think like

[00:29:39] like obviously it sucks if someone's like in your comments or like in your tweets coming at you

[00:29:45] like trying to fight you but I really do especially these days like prescribe to like the idea of

[00:29:52] like online isn't everything and you do just have to like protect your energy and space

[00:29:56] you know so and I know it's hard because for some people online is like their main community

[00:30:04] so I know it could be like hard to disengage or like you don't have a support system in real life

[00:30:10] but it is that thing where you're like where I'm like sometimes there's something that's like really

[00:30:15] upsetting me from like online if I log off and like go hang out with my friends in real life or like

[00:30:21] spend time with my family or like walk my dog you're like oh there is like an outside world

[00:30:28] and like not everyone like I was so mad about like you know like the Star Wars sound bite but like

[00:30:34] out in the in the physical world like people don't even know that happened you know like

[00:30:40] I have like friends who are chronically online but who are into Star Wars who are like what happened

[00:30:45] and like look at this peaceful wonderful life they're living you know so it's kind of like you don't

[00:30:49] have to fight like every battle I think is the main thing like I would just really think about

[00:30:56] where you want to spend your energy because it's taxing and like a lot of these like

[00:31:03] haters and trolls like don't deserve your energy or your time and it's not like you're going

[00:31:09] to change their their minds anyway you know right some people just exist to push buttons

[00:31:16] and I think it's hard to you know it's hard especially if you're somebody who is sensitive like

[00:31:22] I'm a sensitive person so sometimes you know you can't completely ignore it but like you said

[00:31:27] stepping away and remembering that sometimes the algorithm and the niche you're in dictates what

[00:31:31] you see too I think is a big part of it so I think that's really good advice what is your advice

[00:31:39] to fan girls who are struggling to find their place in fandom oh I would just say to like

[00:31:47] it could take a while but you should just kind of like you kind of have to put yourself out

[00:31:55] there a little bit and I know it's hard because I swear I'm like an introvert and I'm not really

[00:32:01] social like in person I'm pretty quiet I'm like not a conversation starter but like do what you

[00:32:08] feel comfortable what you do kind of have to put yourself out there like we said it is a community

[00:32:12] so like if you're trying to find people that you miss with you have to participate in the community

[00:32:19] you know I'm not saying you have to like post pictures of yourself or like you know write like some

[00:32:25] crazy essay or whatever but like I think it's just as easy as if you see something that you like

[00:32:31] like comment on it right so I think a lot of creators like we'll take the time to like respond

[00:32:40] to their comments so I mean that's why their comments are open right so like I would just say like

[00:32:48] participate and like I feel like you'll naturally find people that like are into the same things as

[00:32:54] you like I said with Jordan or even with like Elhoffer it's like because I like when I like really

[00:33:01] like something of theirs I like comment on it you know so and obviously you're not going to get like

[00:33:06] not everyone's gonna be like super friendly or like super talkative but like some people are

[00:33:10] and like those might be the people that you like end up really clicking with and like becoming

[00:33:15] friends with right you just basically never know what's gonna happen exactly so so you do just have

[00:33:21] to put yourself out there a little bit get out there yeah one of the things that I love about

[00:33:27] you is that you seem to always be surrounded by other fan girls whether it's fan growing over a marvel

[00:33:33] or BTS you seem to be surrounded by people who really do share your enthusiasm and your love for

[00:33:39] fandom how did you come to find your community of friends oh my gosh I don't know it's kind

[00:33:46] of hard to say because I realized excuse me I've realized like through I've realized in recent years

[00:33:51] that like I really was really lucky that like I found people like other weird girls I guess early on

[00:33:58] like in school so like a lot of my like not a lot but like some of my oldest fan girl friends are

[00:34:07] my friends from like middle school and high school right you shared those love that love with

[00:34:12] that early love for things with right yeah yeah so it's like you know like yeah like like my oldest

[00:34:18] star wars friend is because we literally got into star wars in high school together around like

[00:34:24] phantom men as time you know so or I'm sorry around attack of the clones phantom men has already come

[00:34:30] out but yeah so so I it's kind of hard for me to say like how did I find them because I think

[00:34:37] I've just been like lucky in that like at least I had like a real life like support system from

[00:34:44] the start but like I guess like in the newer stuff it's just like it's kind of like I said you

[00:34:52] kind of just have to like put yourself out there and I think when you yourself are like

[00:34:56] I think when you yourself are very positive and enthusiastic about the things that you love it

[00:35:04] like attracts people you know so I think it like attracts people so it's like again if you don't like

[00:35:11] being the conversation starter but you like are really passionate about you know like

[00:35:17] star wars or like you're really passionate about Loki and you just like you know are just like

[00:35:22] posting for yourself out into the void of the internet like I feel like there are people who will

[00:35:28] find you who would be like oh my god like I love that thing too I don't have anyone to talk to

[00:35:32] about that you know so so I think that's like my feeling on it is that like I think if you

[00:35:41] some people it's like like we said I think all these the fan girl community like

[00:35:45] find each other because for a lot of girls it's hard to see themselves in these like male dominated

[00:35:50] spaces so when you see someone who's like out there being like public about how much they

[00:35:59] love something or whatever then I think it helps make you kind of like braver to like I can show

[00:36:07] that I love that thing too or at least I can talk to this person even if everyone else in my life

[00:36:12] doesn't understand why I'm like being so crazy about this like fictional character you know or whatever

[00:36:18] so I do think it's just like I guess it's like wow I'm probably like dating you just have to like

[00:36:26] slowly get to know people yeah but you do like I would just say really be you don't be embarrassed

[00:36:31] about like what you like because I guarantee there's someone out there who also likes that weird thing

[00:36:38] and that you will find each other somehow right the like-minded attract like-minded yes

[00:36:45] right you have mentioned all these different fandoms that you love and you have

[00:36:49] journeyed in these spaces for quite a long time have you noticed that have you noticed any

[00:36:55] difference between the different fandoms oh I mean I think sometimes it's just like

[00:37:04] I think my the biggest thing I've noticed recently is

[00:37:09] I'm like so I like that I'm really into like BTS right now and like so kind of like bleeding

[00:37:14] into other kpop um and I definitely for that I feel like it's like a younger fandom

[00:37:21] my impression of it is that like it is more like teenagers in like three early 20s and obviously

[00:37:29] I'm not any of those ages anymore so so for me I'm like wow that's like young

[00:37:36] babies yeah these are young people so like I think that's like the biggest thing for me because

[00:37:41] it's like I do feel like in something like Star Wars and Marvel you have like a bigger range

[00:37:46] of like these young people but also obviously there are people from like

[00:37:51] you know who like got into like had been have grown up reading Marvel comics or DC comics or

[00:37:58] you know people who were like I was 11 when my dad took me to see Star Wars and I've been like

[00:38:04] in it since so so it's like there are it's a bigger range of like people who are like a lot older

[00:38:08] than me and people who are my age and then like these young people who are like discovering it

[00:38:13] for the first time but in kpop it does feel very like a young cool young people thing it's like a new

[00:38:20] I would almost say like newer here at least it's it's because we're mainstream here yes yeah so it

[00:38:28] does feel like to me it's like a little bit well it doesn't help not like it doesn't help but

[00:38:33] the fact that like the the idols themselves are like in that like young 20s age range obviously

[00:38:41] dictates like their audience their audiences like age range too it's been pretty interesting because

[00:38:45] like with BTS at least because they are like slightly older like a couple of the members just turn

[00:38:53] 30 yeah they're like late 20s there and they've been around for like a long time before kpop

[00:39:02] um they their fandom I would say is like wider so like when I got into it it didn't feel like

[00:39:08] too different because it was like these other fandoms where I felt like oh there's like a

[00:39:12] pretty big age range or like a lot of people I talked to if they're not like if I mean a lot of

[00:39:16] people I talked to are not my age they're younger than me but they're like like late 20s you know

[00:39:21] like they've already graduated college I felt like those were sort of like that was more common

[00:39:27] but like as I've like gotten into like a few other like younger groups then it's like whoa

[00:39:31] some of these are young yeah yeah so that's my kind of interesting where like I think the BTS

[00:39:37] fandom like army is a little bit more diverse or obviously diverse and then some of these other

[00:39:44] newer bands have like it definitely feels like a much younger crowd and then the other thing with

[00:39:49] with some at least at least with army that I found that has been kind of interesting is that like

[00:39:55] for a lot of people there they haven't been fan girls like until they got into BTS so that's

[00:40:02] my kind of interesting word they're like this is the first time I've been like so obsessed about

[00:40:07] something you know or whatever like I'm reading fanfic or I'm you know making merch or I'm collecting

[00:40:14] merch or like holding events like I'm meeting up with other fans it's like for I've met more people

[00:40:23] who are like this is the first time I've been involved in a community like this where I'm like

[00:40:27] doing these like public things or like doing like the collector thing and I was like

[00:40:33] oh interesting because you know like there are tons of merch collectors and like cons and stuff

[00:40:39] for like the typical I guess fandoms of like super heroes or like sci-fi type stuff you know

[00:40:48] right so these are like kind of like an offshoot of that for different types of fandoms

[00:40:54] yeah yeah so that's interesting yeah speaking of conventions and events like this do you

[00:41:03] attend these yourself and do you ever get the fear of missing out if you don't um yes to both

[00:41:12] things so I think so for conventions I actually I don't do like I've never done like the con like

[00:41:19] crawl so I've really only just done well when I was younger I did anime expo and then uh for a

[00:41:27] couple of years and then in more recent years I've done like sanding a comic con like the big one

[00:41:34] and an LACC um LA comic con but like I don't like but it's kind of like wonder con is here too

[00:41:43] and then and you know I know people love like dragon con so I like I haven't really gone to like

[00:41:50] any of those other ones like it really was at least for like the recent stuff it really has just

[00:41:55] been like LA Comic Con and then like the big comic con yeah like the big well-known

[00:42:01] yeah yeah so yeah that's the convention yeah so I think like in that sense I'm like because I go to

[00:42:09] the comic con like sandian comic it helps with like the photo of everything else because I'm kind

[00:42:15] of like I've already gone to like the biggest one and it is like I'm not gonna lie like pretty

[00:42:19] overwhelming cuz yeah it's so many people you know it's like really cool but I'm like after

[00:42:26] like four days of that I'm like so tired so it really like I said it really does help with

[00:42:30] photo because you're like I don't need to do this again yeah I can rest this weekend

[00:42:36] so so I so in that sense like I do get photo when I see people at other cons I've also done

[00:42:44] D-D23 the Disney one yeah so I do get photo when I see people like especially like when

[00:42:49] celebration happens like I still haven't been to a celebration so like there are definitely

[00:42:56] cons where like I obviously cuz I follow a lot of people who go to cons when it happens where I

[00:43:03] like I get fomo about it but I also know like I said I'm an introvert so I also know that like I

[00:43:10] really only have so many so much energy and like thinking about like yeah thinking about that I'm

[00:43:16] kind of like I'm sad but also I think I'm okay I'll just look at people's videos and pictures

[00:43:24] right and you remember you're getting a curated you're getting a curated feed based on what

[00:43:29] people are posted like you're when you're in the big of it it's tiring yeah no one's posting about

[00:43:34] how they like slept on the sidewalk at like 3 a.m. like they're not posting pictures of themselves

[00:43:40] you know like freezing like in a sleeping bag because they're like in a hall-h line or whatever

[00:43:46] you know so yeah yeah Instagram's not reality just remember that it is true I did um I have

[00:43:54] never done San Diego I'm in New York so I've done New York Comic Con like 10 years in a row and this

[00:43:58] year it was just so crazy and I was like you know you don't see me sleeping on the train like

[00:44:03] on the way home it's so tiring yeah like you don't I'm like you really do not hear me complaining

[00:44:09] for like 80% of the time I'm walking around the con you know so like you see the like a picture

[00:44:16] of me like look at me I'm in hall age but that's like 20 hours before of me like complaining about how

[00:44:22] like I have to be in a line yeah I have eaten my feet hurt yeah I'm sweating you know

[00:44:31] it's just the glamour of social media if you will yeah exactly so that's like also how

[00:44:36] like I remind myself I'm like okay but did I really want to be surrounded by all this people

[00:44:41] did I really want it you know I think a recent so I went to like Lala Paloza last year

[00:44:46] to see one of like the K-pop bands I'm like super into tomorrow by together they like headline

[00:44:53] and it was because the year before so 2022 was their first year at Lala Paloza

[00:45:00] and and one of the BTS members J-Hope was a headliner that year um so like my sister and I had

[00:45:08] like the thought we were like oh my god are we gonna go like then we get to see both of them

[00:45:12] right and like so incredible like historic right like the first time for both of them being at

[00:45:17] like Lala Paloza but like it was just like so like they they they had like the live stream so we watched

[00:45:24] the live stream of their performances and it was like super good and so like we so we did not

[00:45:30] end up going that year 2022 but it was like that thing where like like we've I've done she and

[00:45:38] I have done Coachella and I do actually like music festivals but it is like it is a very it's

[00:45:44] like a con like very specific amount of like mental preparation you have to do because you're like

[00:45:51] okay I'm gonna be around like a ton of people right like what am I gonna wear it's outside

[00:45:57] like what's the weather gonna be like is it gonna be super hot is it gonna be really cold you know

[00:46:02] like what's the restroom situation gonna be like a lot of planning yeah like all of

[00:46:08] sudden and then like you just have to mentally be like okay like if I want to be like in the front

[00:46:12] how early do I have to go like am I gonna be standing in this spot for like four or five hours

[00:46:19] that sort of stuff right so it is a lot of like mental prep you have to do and and like so that year

[00:46:27] we didn't go because I think we were still like I mean my sister and I are still very like COVID safe

[00:46:34] with our like precautions and like I think that year it was like I think the vaccines had like

[00:46:41] just been like rolled out you know or I mean they've been rolled out but it was just that thing where

[00:46:45] I was like both of us were like not prepared to be in like a crowd of that size and especially like

[00:46:50] squish together even if it was like outdoors it's you know so it's like stuff like that where we're

[00:46:55] like we really want to see them and like when we wash the livestream like so much photo okay

[00:47:02] like let me tell you of course much photo but but it was that thing where I'm kind of like but

[00:47:08] ultimately even watching the livestream like seeing that crowd I was like I could not be in that

[00:47:13] you know like you kind of have to like know yourself well enough to be like like yes do I regret

[00:47:20] a little bit not going yes but also at the same time like seeing that crowd and like even now when

[00:47:26] I like look back on those performances and seeing that crowd I'm like I couldn't have been in that

[00:47:30] you know right like it looked hot like it was a lot of people really close together

[00:47:36] and like I like I could not have been in that crowd so it takes away a little bit of that excitement

[00:47:43] and joy you know thinking about what you have to go through an order to Fandrum if you will

[00:47:49] yeah it takes away a little bit of it yeah so yeah I would just say like really

[00:47:55] know yourself of like what your limits are and what you're comfortable with and then

[00:48:00] and also once again Instagram is not reality it's a very big thing to remember

[00:48:08] yeah it's very curated yes very well speaking of Instagram I think we're coming up to the end here

[00:48:17] and I'd like you can you give your Instagram handle for our listeners?

[00:48:22] yes so I mainly post on my personal slash the fashiony one is A Kingaroo so it's spelled

[00:48:32] like Kingaroo except it's a U at the end instead of two oh okay

[00:48:38] we'll link it and everything yeah yeah yeah so I won't tell it out but it's essentially that

[00:48:43] she'll link it and then my other one is called Girl on the Road and that's most that's more curated

[00:48:48] and it's mostly focused on like travel or so there's less photos of me but I try to keep it

[00:48:54] more about travel and a little bit of like my writing that's the other one so yeah excellent

[00:49:00] everyone make sure to give a follow Alice it has been absolutely wonderful to talk to you today

[00:49:05] and thank you so much for taking time out yeah thank you so much for having me this was fun

[00:49:10] because like I said I haven't talked to like anyone seriously you know why oh it's so much fun I

[00:49:15] had this has been a great time for me yeah thank you