Why Do You Love The Hobby?

[HockeyCardMan]

Hey everyone, I wanted to make a post asking everyone "why they love the hobby"?

I will start but please remember to feel free to be as open as you like and do not judge each other. I will be getting a bit personal, myself.


WARNING: Things may be cheesy from time to time

To start, I'm not your average teenager. I'm not popular, I don't like parties, and I'm not very social. I have been severely bullied. I have been hospitalized for weeks three times due to other reasons. I also struggle with certain things that are a a bit too personal to speak of although I may tell you that they are with me forever and will never leave me. I have to cope with it every day and accept the fact that things will never change for me. Although, I can make things better. This may not seem so bad but there is a lot more to me just like anyone else. However, I collect hockey cards. There is the difference.

Hockey cards are not just pieces of cardboard to me. They are a healthy escape. As soon as I jump on that computer and get a deal done my worries go away. I can be proud of myself and feel a bit better. I'm not saying I have it so hard and life is terrible, no not at all. Life is great, but as I said, I have my struggles. Anyways, as I was saying, I feel a bit better. Hockey cards allow me to escape what is wrong and just relax. Whether its because I made a deal, met a nice person, or anything of that matter. I can feel happier. I feel a sense of self achievement almost. I have something I love and I'm good with... Collecting. I like to think I am good at collecting because I don't accept allowance or any of that kind of stuff, I provide for myself with money from hockey cards. I started from scratch with no help. It sounds dumb, but it's hard work. I have to get a new card and then get a better one and so on and so on. Eventually I get really high on the market for cards and money. This makes me feel quite proud of myself and my hard work. I am very committed when I am doing something I love.

I think one of the things I love about the hobby are the great people involved. It really puts a smile on my face seeing a large group of all-age people doing the same things together. We can all relate no matter what the reason we do it for. We are collectors.

Hockey cards have distracted me from all the bad things and directed me towards the good. It is like a type of therapy. Like I said at the beginning, I don't do drugs or smoke or drink or party, etc. I never have. Not that it is such a shameful thing to do. I mean, it's your choice. But I am proud to say that I have stuck to my morals and have not done these things because that "hot girl" beside me does it or however you want to put it.

I haven't exactly stated why the hobby has done so many good things for me. Maybe that is because I don't exactly know why, I just feel great when I'm doing it. Perhaps I don't need an explanation. I love what I'm doing and that is good enough for me.

In the end, I have dodged major issues and stuck to the good things. This is because of the hobby. I love that I can just be a happy young man doing what I enjoy the most, collecting. That is why I love the hobby.

If you stayed this long thanks a lot and I hope you enjoyed!

Let's hear your story!

[Fleener]

Your story is quite inspirational. I'm not going onto my story but it's similar with yours towards the bullying aspect and I've had medical issues, and with that comes a lot of pain. This is just my escape, the escape which is healthy and that of which I love.

[GHCHambone]

Always loved hockey growing up but never really got the chance to play. Around the age of 18 they built an ice rink a 2 minute drive from my house. I played in an adult clinic for about a year but then ended up having to have 2 back surgeries which pretty much ended my playing days. So this is my new way of staying with hockey.

[PoseyBuster]

Always loved hockey growing up but never really got the chance to play. Around the age of 18 they built an ice rink a 2 minute drive from my house. I played in an adult clinic for about a year but then ended up having to have 2 back surgeries which pretty much ended my playing days. So this is my new way of staying with hockey.

Ouch...I played on a guys' team (no checking or open ice hits allowed in woman's league BS!!!) while in college and it was a blast!!! I had Ice skated nearly every month or every other week growing up in California so I didn't have the "learning to skate" curve like other newcomers to the sport. I already knew how to cut, crossover all that jazz, but the hits and checks, man thats where the fun comes in!!!

I destroyed my left shoulder playing softball in high school, and was never really able to pitch again. I tried 1st, 2nd, short.....nearly every position but my shoulder couldnt handle anythign but first, which was my least favorite position.

So yah in college i moved on to hockey, not much strain on my left shoulder at all, except on big slapshots where i got too much ice.

But back to cards- I was super depressed abotu softball, so naturally, my outlet turned into baseball cards!!!!

[kylemclaren7]

AMAZING post OP, and I must say when I was in high school and most were spending $ on alcohol and dope, I was buying some UD1 and Black Diamond hahah; big ups to you! I just love the hobby cause of the thrill of the chase. Unless you're ultra picky, or rich and can buy anything you want, you can never have a truly complete collection. You'll always need something else to be closer to complete, I love the chase!!

[TheBoxBreaker]

This is one of the most inspirational threads I've read on SCF in a while. Except for the bullying and hospitalizing I think we're very similar. After reading the first line ("To start, I'm not your average teenager. I'm not popular, I don't like parties, and I'm not very social") I was like: "Dude... this is me!" Haha.

I love this hobby because I get to collect what I want (duh, I know). I'm a huge Maple Leafs fan but don't collect Leafs cards. I'm a Mask card collector and I'm dealing with a rather short wantlist, which has its pros and cons. Regarding the negatives is that I don't get to interact with my other collectors regarding deals, which is why I try to stay active anyways by replying to threads and discussing our beloved hobby.

I agree with you on so many points. Cards are definitely more than just cardboard (as a matter of fact I wrote an article named 'More Than Just a Piece of Cardboard' that won a contest here on SCF) and I feel like it brings us all closer to the game we love. I'm 17 years old and live in a non-hockey country (Denmark, Europe) and when I was a bit younger cards were sort of a mass media for me and allowed me to learn about the game and its players since I did not have the opportunity to watch the NHL on TV.

I create customs... and lots of 'em. I feel like it puts me in the driver's seat and I get to be creative and design a card exactly the way I want it. That's always an added plus when collecting because I think it's extremely fun to have something in your PC that you can proudly say you've created yourself.

I've collected many things when I was younger, but as soon as I started collecting cards, all others were forgotten. This is THE hobby. I sort of feel like hockey fans who don't collect are missing out on something vital. It's a big part of hockey and adds to your existing knowledge of the beautiful game.

Thank you very much for the well-written and inspirational post and have fun collecting, interacting and everything that follows.

Sincerely,

-Ethan

[Topps Gold Label]

Wonderful post, OP, as others have stated.

The hobby - and sports overall - has also helped me cope with a serious illness. I'm so glad to hear that it has been therapeutic for you as well.

Even if you were in perfect health, there would be nothing unusual about preferring to spend your free time on the hobby rather than anything else if you thoroughly enjoy it. I have tried some of the "more popular" pursuits you mentioned and did not find them as satisfying as my friends did. That being said, maybe you will learn to appreciate these things as well.

[RGM81]

Great post. It's very nice to see how the hobby can be a release for people, bring them into a community, and help uplift their spirits. It makes me proud that you feel comfortable enough in the SCF environment to share such a personal comment.

As for my own story, as a lifelong Habs fan I'm always looking for way to get as much into creating a living history of the team as possible in my own living space. Cards, photos, jerseys, memorabilia, you name it - if it is a cool item with a Canadiens logo on it, I want it. It turns out very well that cards and this hobby allow people to acquire a lot of things that they would not otherwise even be able to dream of having. To be able to have some of the experiences I've had is just priceless (PUN PROBABLY INTENDED) and I wouldn't trade the memories for anything.

[HockeyCardMan]

Your story is quite inspirational. I'm not going onto my story but it's similar with yours towards the bullying aspect and I've had medical issues, and with that comes a lot of pain. This is just my escape, the escape which is healthy and that of which I love.

Always loved hockey growing up but never really got the chance to play. Around the age of 18 they built an ice rink a 2 minute drive from my house. I played in an adult clinic for about a year but then ended up having to have 2 back surgeries which pretty much ended my playing days. So this is my new way of staying with hockey.

Ouch...I played on a guys' team (no checking or open ice hits allowed in woman's league BS!!!) while in college and it was a blast!!! I had Ice skated nearly every month or every other week growing up in California so I didn't have the "learning to skate" curve like other newcomers to the sport. I already knew how to cut, crossover all that jazz, but the hits and checks, man thats where the fun comes in!!!

I destroyed my left shoulder playing softball in high school, and was never really able to pitch again. I tried 1st, 2nd, short.....nearly every position but my shoulder couldnt handle anythign but first, which was my least favorite position.

So yah in college i moved on to hockey, not much strain on my left shoulder at all, except on big slapshots where i got too much ice.

But back to cards- I was super depressed abotu softball, so naturally, my outlet turned into baseball cards!!!!

AMAZING post OP, and I must say when I was in high school and most were spending $ on alcohol and dope, I was buying some UD1 and Black Diamond hahah; big ups to you! I just love the hobby cause of the thrill of the chase. Unless you're ultra picky, or rich and can buy anything you want, you can never have a truly complete collection. You'll always need something else to be closer to complete, I love the chase!!

This is one of the most inspirational threads I've read on SCF in a while. Except for the bullying and hospitalizing I think we're very similar. After reading the first line ("To start, I'm not your average teenager. I'm not popular, I don't like parties, and I'm not very social") I was like: "Dude... this is me!" Haha.

I love this hobby because I get to collect what I want (duh, I know). I'm a huge Maple Leafs fan but don't collect Leafs cards. I'm a Mask card collector and I'm dealing with a rather short wantlist, which has its pros and cons. Regarding the negatives is that I don't get to interact with my other collectors regarding deals, which is why I try to stay active anyways by replying to threads and discussing our beloved hobby.

I agree with you on so many points. Cards are definitely more than just cardboard (as a matter of fact I wrote an article named 'More Than Just a Piece of Cardboard' that won a contest here on SCF) and I feel like it brings us all closer to the game we love. I'm 17 years old and live in a non-hockey country (Denmark, Europe) and when I was a bit younger cards were sort of a mass media for me and allowed me to learn about the game and its players since I did not have the opportunity to watch the NHL on TV.

I create customs... and lots of 'em. I feel like it puts me in the driver's seat and I get to be creative and design a card exactly the way I want it. That's always an added plus when collecting because I think it's extremely fun to have something in your PC that you can proudly say you've created yourself.

I've collected many things when I was younger, but as soon as I started collecting cards, all others were forgotten. This is THE hobby. I sort of feel like hockey fans who don't collect are missing out on something vital. It's a big part of hockey and adds to your existing knowledge of the beautiful game.

Thank you very much for the well-written and inspirational post and have fun collecting, interacting and everything that follows.

Sincerely,

-Ethan

Wonderful post, OP, as others have stated.

The hobby - and sports overall - has also helped me cope with a serious illness. I'm so glad to hear that it has been therapeutic for you as well.

Even if you were in perfect health, there would be nothing unusual about preferring to spend your free time on the hobby rather than anything else if you thoroughly enjoy it. I have tried some of the "more popular" pursuits you mentioned and did not find them as satisfying as my friends did. That being said, maybe you will learn to appreciate these things as well.

Great post. It's very nice to see how the hobby can be a release for people, bring them into a community, and help uplift their spirits. It makes me proud that you feel comfortable enough in the SCF environment to share such a personal comment.

As for my own story, as a lifelong Habs fan I'm always looking for way to get as much into creating a living history of the team as possible in my own living space. Cards, photos, jerseys, memorabilia, you name it - if it is a cool item with a Canadiens logo on it, I want it. It turns out very well that cards and this hobby allow people to acquire a lot of things that they would not otherwise even be able to dream of having. To be able to have some of the experiences I've had is just priceless (PUN PROBABLY INTENDED) and I wouldn't trade the memories for anything.

Thanks a lot for all the great posts and comments. I never expected to get this kind of reaction. It means so much to me. Thank you!

[Sportfreund]

I think it's pretty much about capturing hockey history. Cards are a great way to learn about it and capture present history for the future.

This is why I like base cards the most. They're cheap in quantity and have info on the back.