Newbies

[brcprincess]

Thinking back to the ticket drama, there were concerns the larger than usual newbie population would result in more spectators, less participation this year. I recall BMO encouraging newcomers to participate more. Wondering what everyones thoughts are now the event has passed?

[pink]

Dunno, our camp's newbies participated like crazy, although two of them did have problems with the heat during the day. I'm sure the friend I brought into camp still has the big shit-eating grin on his face he had all week!

[BBadger]

I found that most of the newbies I encountered were mostly background noise. The newbies in our camp did about as much as anyone in the camp does. No real extraordinary volunteering or anything, but not worthless slobs that I'd think twice before inviting again.

Some newbies jump into everything they can and participate, but I think it is usually the 2nd year "newbies" who bring back the enthusiasm after being shell-shocked the first time. So hopefully many newbies return as good burners.

[knowmad]

I found that most of the newbies I encountered were mostly background noise. The newbies in our camp did about as much as anyone in the camp does. No real extraordinary volunteering or anything, but not worthless slobs that I'd think twice before inviting again.

Some newbies jump into everything they can and participate, but I think it is usually the 2nd year "newbies" who bring back the enthusiasm after being shell-shocked the first time. So hopefully many newbies return as good burners.

Yeah but abunch of us heard about the fact that you are an over opinionated jaded burner that should have been put to pasture before you offended the new tallent. that and a bunch of us laughed our asses off when we found out that you are actualy a "smallish youngish softie" and not a old jaded hard ass that you claim to be.

Try making friends before you make opinions.

[Rev.T]

All the newbies I inner acted with we're great. They all seemed to Get It.

[Rice]

We had a high number of people come to our camp and ask for water... Carrying just a cup for water when it is urba hot is just a bad plan!!

[wh..sh]

We had a high number of people come to our camp and ask for water... Carrying just a cup for water when it is urba hot is just a bad plan!!

In all fairness - someone of the veterans I went out with, at night, did not carry water, bandana, goggles, or lights.

[BBadger]

I found that most of the newbies I encountered were mostly background noise. The newbies in our camp did about as much as anyone in the camp does. No real extraordinary volunteering or anything, but not worthless slobs that I'd think twice before inviting again.

Some newbies jump into everything they can and participate, but I think it is usually the 2nd year "newbies" who bring back the enthusiasm after being shell-shocked the first time. So hopefully many newbies return as good burners.

Yeah but abunch of us heard about the fact that you are an over opinionated jaded burner that should have been put to pasture before you offended the new tallent. that and a bunch of us laughed our asses off when we found out that you are actualy a "smallish youngish softie" and not a old jaded hard ass that you claim to be.

Try making friends before you make opinions.

Who is this nameless "bunch of us" or do you believe you are speaking for a silent majority here? I believe you've made that I-speak-for-everyone assumption before. Please, speak up!

[Berberis]

Were there really that many more newbies than usual? I just don't buy the "unprecendented number of newbies in 2012" thing that everybody keeps kicking around. My memory is that ~40% reported they were newbies when buying tickets. I've since heard ever increasing numbers; "half newbies", "more than half newbies", and just recently "70% newbies". At this rate, in a couple of months, everybody who went in 2012 will have been a newbie.

I have a hard time believing that the 40% figure is particularly unprecedented (or representative of the actual newb/vet ratio this year; the 10k directed distribution tickets were presumably skewed more to veterans). Burning Man doubled in size for several years in the 90s; it had to be at least half newbies in those years.

The census hasn't been asking if people were newbies, but it did ask what years people had previously attended. In recent years, it's been fairly consistently around 50% who didn't attend the previous year. Some of those who didn't attend the previous year were vets who took that year off, but a lot of them had to be newbies. Of course, nobody knows how representative the census was in previous years. This year will be different, and I'm interested in seeing what the actual newbie numbers were when the census report comes out.

I'm guessing the census will show 30-35% newbies, and I'd guess that (though there isn't any solid data) that this is around the same proportion as most recent years.

[trilobyte]

The 40% number that was mentioned was from the survey that people filled out during ticket registration. 40% of the responses identified themselves as having never been to Burning Man before. There's no telling how accurate that info is - some people simply junked their responses to the questions, others falsely identified themselves as a first-timer in the hopes it would somehow improve their chances (it had no affect), and then some newbies falsely identified themselves as veterans in the hopes it would somehow improve their chances (it also had no effect). The number could have been lower, but it could also have been higher.

It certainly wasn't unprecedented in the history of the event, as you said the event has doubled in size before (last time was 1996). It was unprecedented for a lot of peoples' personal experiences - unless you'd been participating since 1995 or earlier, it'd be a high-water mark. Anecdotally, it seemed like I met more first-time burners this year than I had in previous years. As with every year, most newbies were awesome.

The main reasons for driving all the adopt-a-newbie messages home in the spring is that in the face of ticket shortages, a lot of people were becoming huge jerks. For a while there, it seemed like there was something of an angry mob blaming all the newbies for jumping on the bandwagon and wanting to go to Burning Man. Instead of a warm welcome, many newbies were being made to feel unwelcome. I'm really glad that went away.

[Savannah]

There was more than the usual amount of trash left in the portos, sayeth Robbidobbs (and I know other people noticed it too). I would chalk this up to a large population in general, plus--possibly--some newbs with a bit of education ("don't let it hit the playa!") but inadequate prep (a moop bag). I can completely envision intoxicated folks without moop bags or backpacks stashing items on the porto floors as an ill-advised but well-meaning stop-gap measure, rather than the more obvious evil of dropping stuff directly on the ground to blow all the way to the trash fence.

Otherwise, I didn't personally feel a specific virgin effect. I met some wonderful, well-prepared, artistic(!) virgins--such as Fantapants, VultureChow, Nanahuatl, Hack, Lydia, Andie, Isaac & Derek--and was sad to miss crossing paths with a few of our n00b ePlayans (don't let it happen again)!

[Elliot]

I ran into somebody who bragged that he and his group had arrived knowing little about the event except that it was an opportunity to "party", and they laughed when somebody tried to educate them because they were "getting away with it". That's taking "inclusiveness" too far.

[Triken]

I ran into somebody who bragged that he and his group had arrived knowing little about the event except that it was an opportunity to "party", and they laughed when somebody tried to educate them because they were "getting away with it". That's taking "inclusiveness" too far.

While atop Beaul'ephant Saturday, I couldn't help but to overhear... (loudly, almost bragging...)

"Yeah~got my ticket yesterday!
fuck. They didn't tell me it was desert here!"





*ahem*

[AdamOfTheRedEarth]

In our camp of 12 burners, 7 of us were newbies. Nearly every veteran I met seemed surprised to hear that I was a virgin burner. I have been listening to my sister talk about BM for three years though so I had somewhat of a clue, even though mere words can't describe BM. I did meet lots of "newbies" that fit the bill perfectly, people came up to our bar with no cups, asked to use our bathroom, asked for drugs, etc. I gave out cups and let a few girls use our pee bucket but even that got old lol. I can understand why these things would annoy you long time burners but to be honest, the vibe down there was like 99% love and acceptance, much different than the jaded snarkiness one encounters on the eplaya.

[Savannah]

In our camp of 12 burners, 7 of us were newbies. Nearly every veteran I met seemed surprised to hear that I was a virgin burner. I have been listening to my sister talk about BM for three years though so I had somewhat of a clue, even though mere words can't describe BM. I did meet lots of "newbies" that fit the bill perfectly, people came up to our bar with no cups, asked to use our bathroom, asked for drugs, etc. I gave out cups and let a few girls use our pee bucket but even that got old lol. I can understand why these things would annoy you long time burners but to be honest, the vibe down there was like 99% love and acceptance, much different than the jaded snarkiness one encounters on the eplaya.

That's why we say "ePlaya is not THE playa".

They really shouldn't be compared at all. Ever.

[theCryptofishist]

In our camp of 12 burners, 7 of us were newbies. Nearly every veteran I met seemed surprised to hear that I was a virgin burner. I have been listening to my sister talk about BM for three years though so I had somewhat of a clue, even though mere words can't describe BM. I did meet lots of "newbies" that fit the bill perfectly, people came up to our bar with no cups, asked to use our bathroom, asked for drugs, etc. I gave out cups and let a few girls use our pee bucket but even that got old lol. I can understand why these things would annoy you long time burners but to be honest, the vibe down there was like 99% love and acceptance, much different than the jaded snarkiness one encounters on the eplaya.

That's why we say "ePlaya is not THE playa".

They really shouldn't be compared at all. Ever.

I'll say it once again. I think that it's partly protecting "our" event from idiocy.

[5280MeV]

That's why we say "ePlaya is not THE playa".

It is like when you encounter New Yorkers in their cars, they all honk and yell - you would get the impression that they don't like you.

However, when you meet them on the street, they are like... um.... they're...

So yea, different stuff.