First and foremost, if you are new here, welcome welcome welcome! It's wonderful to see more My Little Pony fans joining every day, even better when they stick around and add their energy to the forums. I hope it lasts forever.

With that said, here's some helpful advice from a more experienced member: 5 things all new members should know about MLP Forums!

1. The character limit is a good thing.

It may seem annoying at first, but we're not texting here. The limit is there to encourage discussion and discourage comments that don't add anything constructive to a topic, like "I agree," "k thx," "lolwut" and "tl;dr." Complaining about the character limit makes a poor first impression.

2. RP-posting is not original.

You know the kind of thing I mean: introducing yourself as your OC pony. Stuff like HI IM CRIMSON DEATHSNORT THE ALICORN GOD OF PONY DEATH. I TAKE PONIES TO TARTARUS AND IVE DATED LUNA. WORSHIP ME & I MAY SPAR UR LIVES! It's been done, many times. We'd rather get to know the real you.

3. Greet other newbs!

Don't be shy about welcoming someone else to a place you've just arrived at. It's a great show of solidarity and friendship, and that's what My Little Pony is all about! And don't be afraid to explore the board either. Try every section. You'll definitely find something you like.

4. Post for respect, not attention.

Gimmicks won't do much for you on MLP Forums. Let's face it, they're not very interesting and we've seen 'em all. The all caps/bold/italics, typing in dialect ('ah sure am happy to be meetin y'all'), squicky avatars etc, the guy who's been on too many Youtube comment pages and can't go 3 posts without talking about *insert controversial topic here.* We have a sense of humor (esp. in Cloudsdale Commons) but the important thing is what you actually have to say. That's why smart cookies like Kyronea can take a topic to the next level with one post, but a one-sentence joke or meme is forgotten in minutes.

5. This is not just another board.

It's better. Better organized, better atmosphere, better contributions. And that's the most important point. I've been on a lot of forums and many were kind of cynical or shallow, with too many trolls or members constantly bickering. Don't worry, this place is different. We are a welcoming and accepting community. Liking MLP doesn't just put us in the same place; it draws us all closer together. We really read what you say. Take the things you learned from the show and let them be your guide, and you will make friends here! Don't be afraid to tell us your stories and express an honest opinion.

And that's all the advice I have for our new joiners, at least while sober. Welcome and pony on!