Being the Ultimate Neopian

Whether the Neopian is a certified newbie or an old hat, has an average account or an extremely successful one, they probably have something more they want to achieve in order to possess, in their mind, the Ultimate Neopian status.

Being a Neopian, you must have one or more things you consider crucial to be the Ultimate. Most of us would love to have every one of those things. But before we can set about acquiring said status, we must pause to think of what ultimate means to us. I would love five million in my bank account, multiple NT publications, trophies on my five favorite games, a popular and fairly widespread lookup page, as well as a glamorous gallery. But that’s just me. Maybe you want the best battle pet in Neopia. Maybe you want every possible avatar, the council – or leader – position in your guild, a painted pet, an expansive trophy cabinet, or a mansion of a Neohome.

Ah, yes. Let us close our eyes and imagine the possibilities.

Finished? Fabulous. Here comes the part where I tell you how to make it all a reality.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “How can one article possibly cover how to do every conceivably conceivable thing any Neopian could ever hope to want?”

I would have to answer that it can’t and it won’t.

What?! you say. You thought this was what this article was about. You have been ripped off. You have been robbed. You have half the mind to crumple this paper and throw it into a nearby trash bin. But please, I urge you, wait. For one thing, there are countless other lovely things to read in this issue. For another, I can help you with something. I can tell you six things needed to achieve... well, pretty much anything.

At this point, I will employ a handy little list for your comfort, convenience, and viewing pleasure.

*Ahem*

1. Time

Applies to: anything and everything

This is boring. This is not fun. But this is also of utmost importance, and therefore must be said: To do anything noteworthy, you need to put time into it. Not necessarily hours upon hours per week, but a few hours over the course of a few – or several – months. Do NOT give up because things aren’t going fast, and in the beginning, know that you are not going to reach your goal in a matter of weeks. A lot of things are built up over long periods, especially collections and item(s) that require you to spend a huge sum of Neopoints. The thing that sets the Ultimate apart from the rest is usually that they either have skill or a large amount of time put into something, or multiple things. Usually, however, it’s a combination of the two. Everyone has skill, and everyone has time – all you have to do is use them both in the right way, and you’ll have something special.

2. Motivation

Applies to: anything and everything

Motivation, passion, excitement – having these is essential. It’s the fuel that powers you through all that time. For instance, “I guess it’d be cool to have that paint brush” isn’t going to cut it. Don’t have any – or enough – motivation about something? That thing isn’t the thing for you. What’s the point in putting so much energy and time into something you don’t even want that much? If you don’t feel like it would be great to have something, why even bother trying for it? Figure out what you want the most. That’s the best thing to work towards.

3. Know What You Want and What to Do

Applies to: anything and everything

If you joined me in that fun fantasy where we imagined our future Ultimate Neopian-ness earlier, you’ve already started on this. You may want to whip out a starry notebook and write down what you want (nothing is unrealistic!). Done? Good. But where do you start, especially when your notebook is bursting with starry-eyed dreams? After looking your list over, select what most-wanted goal we were just talking about. Now think about what you need to do to go about getting it, i.e. “Have the best battle pet: 1. Get Neopoints for codestones/dubloons to use when training as well as equipment. 2. Train. 3. Practice...” When you have a better idea of what to do, you can do things more efficiently, have an easier time of reaching your goal, and also diminish the “But this is so impossible!” mindset. It’s important to have these things in mind when you’re trying to achieve your goal. They can keep you going in the right direction.

4. Neopoints

Applies to: everything except games, some avatars, contests, guild-related things, etc.

A lot of things that people want revolve around having enough Neopoints to get them. Although it won’t bring you the big bucks very quickly, you could sit around playing hours upon hours of games. That’s a great way to start out, but once you have a couple 100,000, I highly recommend trying reselling as well as the games to boost your bank account. For those of you who have never heard of reselling, it basically means purchasing popular and expensive items – paint brushes, avatar items, transmogrification potions, etc. – for a low price and then reselling them for profit. I would also strongly suggest reading a guide or two on this before you start. There are a few costly mistakes that are easy for a beginner to make. And remember, as you get the NP, you have to keep them as well – don’t spend on anything that’s not associated with your goal. Saving comes easier to some people than to others. If you’re not a natural miser, you’ll have to learn to make it a habit not to spend extra Neopoints. After a while, it will become natural not to spend and you won’t think anything of it.

5. Learn

Applies to: everything but some contests, guild-related things, etc.

Now this may seem obvious, but you really have to learn absolutely everything about what you’re trying to do. Go to the boards and talk to the experts. Read every guide you can get your hands on and jot down helpful hints. Want to make amazing lookups? Go look up CSS and graphics! You also have to learn through practicing... and practicing... and practicing. Through practice, you can learn things no guide could ever tell you – such as the fact that no one will admire your sense of theme in the living room if you have a Green Antique Couch shoved up against the Funky Blue and Orange Sofa.

6. People Skills

Applies to: anything and everything (really!)

Okay, maybe you don’t really need the people skills for absolutely everything, but come on: who’s going to admire you for having the number one score in ten of the most popular games if you’re a grouch? Why turn away the hordes of admirers with your surliness? And besides, believe it or not, you really do need people skills for a lot of things. When a reseller goes to the trade and auction boards to sell their lovely paint brush or look for a deal, people are far more likely to do business with the reseller if they’re friendly and polite. If you want to get published in the Neopian Times and ask the folks on the writing board to give some constructive criticism on your article, are they going to give it if you snap at them? No. Above all, you won’t be able to rise through the ranks in your guild unless you’re kind, funny, friendly, and responsible. Let’s face it: a lot of the time we need other people’s help to do things, and to get it, we need to develop our people skills. First and foremost, please please please drop the chatspeak! Maybe some people won’t mind a “hey is there ne1 who cna help w/ this?” but a lot of people will. And no one will get upset over, “Could you please give me some advice on this?” Remember to be friendly and open to things, and you’ll get great help and advice, make amazing connections, and overall give yourself amazing new advantages.

Maybe you didn’t learn anything new here – although I hope you did. But this should at least give you a little push to get going. After all, why wait for fabulousness? Being the Ultimate Neopian could be right around the corner.