Caution: Quills may be sharp Circulation: 190,290,944 Issue: 572 | 30th day of Storing, Y14
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Worth More Than Gold


by bahragrah34

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A while ago, I got the first (and so far only) trophy I've EVER gotten from a flash game. After playing the game Ugga Drop a few times, I discovered I was actually pretty good at it- it had simple controls, and I had a good sense of when to open my parachute so that I could make it safely to the ground. So with a little hard work and strategizing, I snagged that gold trophy.

That was a pretty special moment for me, since I've never had much of a talent for flash games. But unfortunately, it gave me a touch of what I like to call "trophy fever". I was intoxicated with the idea of having a trophy case full of little gold statues and cups, so I immediately rushed out and started trying to get on the high-score tables again.

As I mentioned above, however, I'm not all that good at flash games, so you can imagine the frustration and despair that resulted as I tried- and failed- to even register on the high-scores charts of my favorite games. I finally gave up, deciding that I just wasn't meant to be a games master.

After moping for a while, I decided I was tired of envying those people who have profiles packed with trophies, and be proud of myself for what I have accomplished. (With no offense towards those who do have a lot of trophies- you people are very talented and hard-working, and certainly deserve the recognition you get.)

I'm a champion in two different games- Cheat, and the above mentioned Ugga Drop. And since winning those trophies, I've collected a few more, though none of them are gold. I participated in Altador Cup V. I'm up to level 21 in Habitarium. None of these accomplishments are to sneeze at.

And that's just counting games! There are plenty of things I do around the site that I'm darn proud of, and once I realized that, I started to feel much better about myself as a Neopian.

So I started writing this article, hoping to help others who have caught a nasty case of trophy fever. What follows is a list of things that you may not get a trophy for, but are certainly worth holding your head up with pride!

You keep your neopets fed and happy most of the time.

Sure, they may live on a steady diet of omelettes, but fed is fed; it still means you take the effort to make the daily trek out to the Tyrannian plateau and back to your inventory. And if you actually bother to buy food from the shops for your pets, even better! Either way, it's worth it to see their smiling little mugs whenever you visit your profile. (Unless you happen to own a grey pet. But we all know they're happy inside.)

You saved up and bought something.

Over a million NP for a royal paint brush is amazing, but ten thousand for a rare negg is nothing to sneeze at. Saving any amount of neopoints requires a certain amount of dedication and willpower- there's always some goodie that you could buy if you just shaved a little off the top of your savings, you could make it up real easy, and you just really, really want that adorable plushie right now and-

*SMACK!* BAD Bahragrah! Bad! No Gnorbu plushie for you until you buy that paint brush!

Ahem. Anyway, you get my point. Saving NP, it's a hard business.

You've helped another Neopian for no personal gain.

Answering questions on the help chat, gifting items to your friends, or even just encouraging other players are all noble deeds. Even if you don't always get thanked for your help, you can still feel good about yourself for taking the time to assist someone who needed it. And who knows? All that good karma might just come back to you. ;)

You're pretty dang good at this one game.

Take Ice Cream Machine, for example. I love that game, and have gotten to where I can reach the high levels pretty easily. I've just never been able to beat the whole game, and have certainly never reached the high-scores table.

Just because you can't get past the bronze trophy on a game- or can't get a trophy at all- doesn't mean you aren't any good. Your skills can earn you not only neopoints, but also hours of fun and excitement. You're good, and you don't need a pretty statue to prove it.

You've adopted a neopet from the pound.

This is something I feel you can REALLY pat yourself on the back for. Taking a poor, lonely, unhappy pet from the pound and bringing into your family, giving it the love, care and attention that all pets deserve- is there anything more worthy of respect and pride than that?

You've been active in the community.

Leader of a guild? Great! A member in a guild? Awesome! Frequently seen posting on the neoboards? Rock on!

Even if you just have a few close neofriends that you chat with and maybe help out on occasion, you're helping to spread happiness and a sense of connection and community across the site.

You've been a part of Neopets for X number of years.

Even if you aren't eligible for the Almost Abandoned Attic, so what? Whether it's been years, months, or even just a few days, you've stuck with it. Through the frustrations and the triumphs, the good times and the bad, the Pant Devil attacks and the random bags of neopoints on the ground, you're still here, playing your part in this amazing world. It wouldn't be the same without you.

~

So there you have it! That was *counts on fingers* seven good reasons to feel proud of yourself right now! And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Look around your profile, and think about the things you do on Neopets regularly. I bet you can find a lot of little things in your daily Neopian life that may not seem very amazing at first glance, but they all go towards making your days on this site fun, meaningful, and full of adventure.

And trust me; that's worth a lot more than gold.

(Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go find someplace to put this new Neopian Times trophy. *scampers away*)

 
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