Change.

Day 1,673, 01:48 • Published in Australia Netherlands • by lancer450

Hello dear readers,

Change, adjustments, abnormalities, deviations from normalcy. Sometimes change can be good in eRepublik. Though, like most of the changes made to the game, it’s not. I am talking about the changes in regards to the community and to the people I have met.

Despite the stresses and annoyances that this game can bring me, the people - the countless friends and companions are what keep me coming back day after day. Lately, I have experienced a lot of change. Both in RL and in eRepublik. I just recently graduated from secondary school, I’m looking for a job for the first time in my life, and I’m preparing to purchase my first car as well as preparing to enter university in the coming months. All seem like very positive and very stressful changes in my life.


“Just wait... here comes the wall of tears…”

Sadly, I cannot say the past few days have been as positive in my eLife, especially today. Of all days you would expect me to be upset, this would be the last. I only just earnt my first media mogul medal this morning. I should be happy. I should be overjoyed. Though, I am not. Change always brings loss. Even the good changes. But loss is inevitable in RL as well as eLife. Many try hard to avoid loss so they become rigid and try to control everything because loss is too overwhelming for them. But loss finds them anyway. No one can escape it. That same loss has found me.

For those of you who are reading this and are relatively new to the game, heed my warning: if you have the chance to really connect with this community of peoples and make REAL friendships, don’t expect it to last forever. I have been playing eRepublik for nearly a year now and only now I am starting to experience what players like Binda33, H.Nelson, infin, TJ Norton, Majester, and Miss Wolf have experienced. Death brings the ultimate loss. Whether in RL or in-game, death really opens your eyes and makes you realise what your priorities are. Sure, it’s fun to conquer eNew Zealand, to war, to fight, make money, get medals, and succeed in that way, but only now can I say, with certainty, the point of this game is to socialise, make friends, and have fun!

Death brings the ultimate loss. And I am beginning to witness it over and over again as I grow older. With the loss of Bia Pandora and Jon Malcom today as well as the recent loss of Adam Von Templar and jkli5, it has made me realise I have been disconnected from many and recognise what could have been. It has also made clear that I will never see many of my RL classmates ever again. We are all going our separate ways with the extremely slim chance I will see most of them ever again. It’s funny how eLife and RL are somehow able to converge and really teach you something.

These negatives; these changes helped me to see the loss of a lifetime of memories to come. The loss of companionship. It means the loss of ourselves in some ways. But, I digress.

Death, the loss of a friend, or loss in general will tell you things if you take the time to listen. It will tell you to stop and enjoy the moment. Experience it all; the good and the bad. Live while you still can. The news about their leaving originally left me, as well as others, in a mood filled with doom and gloom. But now I see that it has cushioned me against the overwhelming urge to feel sorry for myself. It allowed me to realise I need to move on and move forward and meet new people and make new friendships and memories. I am deciding to be happy. So even though I likely will never speak to most of my classmates once more or share a joke or two with Jon or jkli5 on IRC, I need to move on. Be happy.


“At least it’s ending on a good note.”

To this end, I am making the decision to become more involved with those whom I have drifted apart and become more engaged with the community of the eWorld to fulfill one of Bia Pandora’s last requests. So don’t be afraid to add me as a friend, message me on IRC, in-game, or on the AusForums. 🙂

Best regards,



P.S. No more dying or leaving for at least a week. 😉