New Year, New You (and Your Neopet Approves!)

     RESOLUTION 1: Goal-Setting to Greatness!

     First off, sit down and think about what you want to achieve on this site. Take a look at your account and find what is missing. Make a list of what you see. Is your avatar count low? Do your Pets look a little boring? Is your trophy cabinet kind of empty?

     Writing down what you see can unlock new things you want to try. Always the most popular choice is becoming a collector! This can come in a few different forms:

     Avatar collecting. Hunting for secret avatars is extremely popular and for good reason! With the recent releases of more and more avatars, now is the perfect time to jump on in. Even the hard-to-achieve avatars can be yours from friendly lenders or through the guild you will be joining, (more on that below.)

     Stamp collecting. We all have a Stamp Album accessible through our User Lookups. Inside are themed pages relating to Neopia from specific worlds, to coins, business cards, and even evil coconuts. Stamp collecting is definitely not the cheapest option, but a worthy goal to add to your list. The thrill when completing a page and obtaining a sharp new avatar to show off on the boards? We all know it’s an addiction.

     Item collecting. Much more niche, but keeps a lot of Neopians going. Collecting items has been around longer than both avatars and stamps. Collecting plushies, paint brushes, and morphing potions are evergreen. Many show off their item collections in their galleries. Not to mention, the possibilities of item collection are endless. Space-themed items? All cakes? Anything pink? Ixi items only? Dr. Sloth books, toys, and accessories? Find something you really like on the site and build your collecting around it. You’d be surprised what you can find. The best part about this type of collecting is that you can set your own budget. Keep it inexpensive, or save up for those big-ticket items.

     But what about outside of collecting? Have you tried switching up some of your Neo-habits? This can help breathe new life into the time you log in. Try working through your dailies from the bottom up a few times? Make a quick list of what you hope to achieve that day and check it off when you do it. Small changes can help keep things exciting and motivate you.

     Try and keep your goals achievable. A goal of finally getting the Snowager and Wheel of Excitement avatars is not a good goal. Why? Those are based on luck and you will feel disappointed if it’s not a goal you achieve. How about adjusting that goal to: growing your avatar list from 125 to 300 in a year. Achievable, ambitious, and set up for success!

     Testimonials:

      “I made a checklist and my Neopet stared at me like I’d unlocked a secret feature. We’ve bonded on a whole new level.” – A Neopian Emotionally Supported by Their Krawk

     “Once I wrote my goals down, they stopped being ‘someday’ things and became ‘oh no, I should probably do that’ things.” – Suddenly Accountable Goal-Setter

     “Last year my goal was ‘get rich.’ This year, I wrote down how I can get rich. I feel wealthy already.” – A Grounded and Clever Neopian

     RESOLUTION 2: Joining a Guild… I Promise it’s Not Scary

     Finding your community is such an important aspect within the online space, and Neopets is no different. One way to achieve this is by joining a guild. The best way to find a guild that’s right for you, is checking out the Guild Board on the Neoboards. Many guilds are currently advertising themselves with what they have to offer new members. Activities, clubs, and programs such as avatar lending and adoption agencies. Some guilds are themed around fandoms, or are focused on anything Neo-related.

     The current trend among guilds is offering activities surrounding account improvement. This usually includes ways to earn and save Neopoints, stamp collecting, and achieving game avatars! Among many more topics to boost your account. When participating alongside others, the motivation to get things done skyrockets!

     All I ask is that you try and make the most of everything the guild has to offer and get involved. Chat within the guild boards and get to know your fellow guildies. Participate in one activity you might not have chosen for yourself.

     You can only join one per account, so many sure you find the one that’s the best fit for you!

     Testimonials:

      “I used to log in once a week before. Now I log in every day!” – A Now-Motivated Returning Player

     “My guild sent me so many welcome gifts, I am overwhelmed… in a good way?” – A Socially-Anxious Neopian

     “In one month with my guild, I grew my trophy cabinet from 5 to 35!” – A New Trophy Enthusiast

     RESOLUTION 3: Give Your Neopets a Purpose

     Trust me, your Neopet will love you for this next resolution.

     If you haven’t already, try and give each of your Neopets their own “thing.” What does that look like? There are many things around the site that rely heavily on your Neopet advancing.

     The Battledome, for instance. Pick one of your Pets that will train their stats up to take on more challenging opponents. According to their current level, you can train at the Swashbuckling Academy, the Mystery Island Training School, or the Secret Ninja Training School (that unlocks once your Pet reaches level 250!) Devoting a Pet to the Battledome will come in handy when The Void Within plot resumes, and your Pet will thank you for the discipline!

      And what about your other Pets? If battling doesn’t suit some of them, don’t fret! There are other activities I’m sure they will enjoy. Reading is awesome, and there are thousands of books you can buy across Neopia! Reading will increase your Pet’s intelligence stat, and if you read enough books, they can gain a shiny trophy on their lookup for either the Neopian Book Award or the Booktastic Book Award!

     You have a Pet who’s a foodie? May I suggest you get them into gourmet eating? Feed your Neopet foods with a rating between R90 and R100. The more gourmet foods they eat will qualify them for the Gourmet Club. Eat enough, and they could also obtain a trophy!

     Customizing is a great way to give more attention specifically to your Neopets. From backgrounds to clothes, wigs to wings! Customizing your Pet takes them from being a regular ole Faerie Grundo to a completely new and one-of-a-kind Neopet that no one else has. It’s also a great tool to use if you wanted to build out a backstory for your Neopets. Which brings me to character development! While it might be cheaper to devote one Neopet to the more expensive activities, (training, reading, and eating,) creating backstories for each of your Neopets is free! Let your creativity flow as you create histories, likes and dislikes, flash stories, and if you can draw—art of your Neopets!

     Testimonials:

      “My owner has me training for four hours a day. Seeing the Jetsam Ace laid out every time I step into the Cosmic Dome totally makes up for that.” – A Very Tough Xweetok

     “I used to stare at the wall. Now I stare at books. This is growth!” – A Booktastic-Inspired Kougra

     “It was supposed to be just ‘one fancy meal.’ Now I am a gold-rated member at Gourmet Club!” – A Well-Fed Usul

     RESOLUTION 4: Throw Yourself into the Creative Chaos

     There are a lot of creative outlets on the site. You’re reading one now. Yes, the Neopian Times is the bi-weekly newspaper filled with user-submitted articles, short stories, series, and comics, and a great way for you to flex your creative chops and write about characters known in Neopia, characters you’ve created, or a helpful guide or two by way of articles! Not to mention the comics that require both a strong voice for story and a magic hand for art.

     There’s more contests you can enter, too! If you are looking for more writerly competitions, check out Poetry, the Caption Contest, and the Storytelling Competition.

     For more art-based contests, look at the Art Gallery and Beauty Contest!

     Maybe you are an amazing coder. Have you looked into submitting that user lookup you spent hours coding to be featured in the User Lookup Spotlight? Or, you’ve spent a lot of time curating the perfect gallery—there is a spotlight for that too!

     All of these contests award nifty trophies, which also is building onto improving your account for the year. Some of these contests even award a rare item to the winners which can help you with some of your other goals.

     If the thought of entering some of these contests is intimidating, don’t let that stop you! You can start small and challenge yourself to enter at least one during the month. You might find it more than fun!

     Testimonials:

      “I didn’t win the Beauty Contest the first time I entered, but I came back the next week and took gold!” – A Persistent Artist

     “I submitted a poem about Slorgs. It was messy, but it won!” – A Slorg Enthusiast

     “I think I’m funnier now.” – A Neopian Who Entered the Caption Contest Once

     RESOLUTION 5: Try One Feature You’ve Avoided for Years

     With so many gameplay features across Neopets, there is bound to be something you haven’t tried yet. Or, maybe you tried it once and said, “Never again!’

     Well, now, you’re going to try it again.

     Have you thought about restocking? Find a shop or two that you enjoy hanging out in and start buying items to re-sell in your own shop. There is a learning curve as you discover what items are best for profit, but don’t give up right away! Keep it small and as you get more comfortable, add more shops to your list. Trust me, you’ll start seeing some of these items in your sleep.

     Is your gallery sitting unused? Or do you use it as a public Safety Deposit Box? Maybe it’s been a catch-all of, “something really cool for my gallery” but now you have a hodgepodge, unorganized group of items you’re not sure what to do it. How about giving your gallery a make-over? Find a theme and start collecting.

     Pretend this next paragraph says something clever about the Stock Market. Buy some stocks, make some Neopoints, and if you’re lucky, there’s an avatar for it. How to achieve it is far beyond the comprehension of this author. But for those who find success with stocks, we’re so proud of you!

     Deep in the heart of Krawk Island lies Food Club. The tables might be sticky and the atmosphere very noisy, but what’s a better pastime than betting on which pirate can eat the most food? The rewards can be great: millions of Neopoints! A trophy! An avatar! You can even ask a guildmate from the guild you definitely already joined, any questions you have, (because there is always at least one super enthusiastic Food Clubber in every guild.)

     Testimonials:

      “I started restocking. I now know the pain of an unsuccessful haggle.” – A Sleep-Deprived Shopkeeper

     “I’ve been changed 78% by the Stock Market. I speak in percentages now.” – A Stock Market Strategist

     “I told myself galleries were ‘too much work’ and ‘not worth the NP.’ Then I accidentally started one while organizing my Safety Deposit Box. Now I’m tracking down retired plushies at 3 A.M.” – A Plushie Hunter

     RESOLUTION 6: Open the SDB. Be Brave.

     Why wait until the annual Faerie Festival to get rid of items? Your Safety Deposit Box can’t handle one more Plushie prize from the Battledome into it! Now is the perfect time to focus and really go through everything in that box.

     Of course, you can keep it well stocked, but I guarantee you will find something, probably a few things—maybe even a lot of things!—that you forgot were even in there. I’m talking the paint brushes you won in the Quest Log, or the Battledome weapons you picked up in Random Events. Perhaps a valuable stamp you obtained and can’t remember how.

     Going through your SDB is a great way to find some items you might not want and will be able to sell or trade. The best thing about selling valuable items you don’t want, is getting the items you do want. You’ve already decided your goal was for your nerdy Neopet to read Booktastic books. Selling off unneeded paint brushes are there to fund your new addiction!

     Testimonials:

      “I found an army of Pirate Baby Space Funguses in my SDB… I don’t know how they survived.” – A Perplexed Neopian

     “I threw away 407 dung items. My neighbors thanked me.” – Former SDB Hoarder

     “I traded enough old paint brushes to finish the Evil Coconuts stamp page!” – An Evil Collector

     RESOLUTION 7: Celebrate Your Wins in Your Account Portfolio

     You’ve followed this guide, and you are trying all the new things. Now, where is a great place to keep track of your goals, celebrate your wins, and organize all the new elements of Neopets you invited into your life? An account portfolio, of course!

     To keep it simple, an account portfolio is typically found on one of your Pet’s pages. It’s a way for other users to get to know you, perhaps your history with the site, and a place to see what you are working on. Portfolios are the perfect source to unleash your creativity. It’s up to you on what to include. Popular topics are: current goals and achievements, art and writing, wishlists, and an about me section. Browse the site and see what people use their portfolios for to get some ideas on what you would like in yours.

     Then, the best thing to do is maintain and update it! It’s a great tool to keep you motivated in hitting all these new goals you set out to achieve! Made it into the Art Gallery for the first time? Put it in your portfolio! Completed a stamp page? Highlight that in your portfolio! Have a group of items you really want? Make a wishlist in your portfolio! Hit your goal of feeding 75 Kads? You guessed it—celebrate that win with an update to your portfolio!

     Testimonials:

      “I included charts, graphics, and timelines in my portfolio… it’s basically my life story.” – A Petpage Enthusiast

     “The first time I tried to make a portfolio, I worked on it for six hours and took a six-week break. Then, I made a goal of making a portfolio. Now, I can’t stop updating it!” – A Former Procrastinator

     “I’m so proud of every creative contest win, I can’t help but feature it in my portfolio.” – The Author of this Article, Maybe

     If even one of these resolutions made you think, “Oh… I could actually do that,” then this list has done its job. Neopian resolutions aren’t about perfection—they’re about progress, creativity, and committing to the fun. When progress feels slow, remember not to give up. Your Neopets are watching, cheering you on… and would very much like that gourmet food/book/stat increase you promised.