Can anybody help a noob?

I'd also like to suggest to the OP that the Metaverse Messenger (www.metaversemessenger.com) could be quite useful in finding out about fun and interesting things to see and do every week. The M2 is Second Life's home town newspaper, a free weekly paper filled with articles and advertisments for all manner of things in SL.

My list of suggestions for the coolest places in SL would have to include:

Svarga
the Greenies sim
Rezzable Hallucinogen
the Lost Gardens of Apollo
Port Seraphine
Nomasha Syaka

Actually, a comprehensive list of cool would be endless.

Welcome to SL!

P2

Hi Sandy. I think it's great you're here asking questions. Anywhere you go in world (unless otherwise posted), you can ask questions of all residents and be friendly. Most of us will answer your questions and be at least civil.

I would say go to the interests you have already and you will meet like-minded people there already to meet and socialize with. Of course, you can always try new interests here. You have a golden opportunity as a new resident to ask things that you may be too embarassed to ask about when you've been here a long time. I think in short order, you will be deluged with information, places to go, and potential friends. Good luck to you !

One of the few dividers of age groups that I have found is music. Its not absolute, as some peoples taste is very eclectic, but you might find a higher concentration of people in your age group of you look for clubs that feature the popular music of your generation.

One of the interesting things that I have found in SL is that age matters very little, I have found interesting friends in all age groups.

Sandy,

Try Nancy Blake's Pub in the West of Ireland. I manage it and we are VERY friendly to new people. There are usually folks around and most nights we have DJ's or live music.

See what a friendly group we SL types are? It's a big part of why I love this place. It's a new world, and even the oldtimers are still finding their way in it. So we all help each other out. Mostly, anyway.

All the suggestions are good. If you need a quiet place to just sit and think, though, come visit me when I'm at home. Or just visit my butterfly garden, if I'm not. I'm on FairChang Brisas. Look for the island in the corner of the sim, with the mountain and the yacht tied up at the pier.

Try the welcome areas like Ahern, Hangeul, Braun, Waterhead, Korea. I missed some I think. Typically there is a group of regulars there who can be helpful sometimes. There are a lot of new people there too and people who come there just to help new people. There is actually not much to do at these places except talk so you can use it as a launching point for your adventures.

I've just got home from work and read all of your replies.

Do you know what - I don't want to get all mushy ........ but ....... what an amzing bunch of friendly people I've stumbled across!! There are some fantastic suggestions there which I am going to get stuck into straight away!

thanks a million for taking the time to reply and I'll look forward to seeing you all in SL.

You can't miss me - I'm the one in rubbish clothes because I haven't worked out how to look good yet!!!

Sandy

The forums are sometimes helpful, and then its wonderful ^^ Welcome to SL and the Forums, Sandy

If you like creating things in general, and want to try your hand at building, I'd definitely recomend the Ivory Tower Library of Primitives. The best tutorial, in-world or out, for the basics of building, and can get you pretty good pretty fast ^^

Aside from that... I'd recomend Dance Island for meeting people... the most populated dance club I've found, and fun too! Only downside is so many people make it take a while to load, and it can be laggy =(

For a more formal experience, try the Avilion Grove ballroom, and from there you can also get to a few more areas of the Avilion Sim(s?), including Avilion Mist, which almost always has a concert going on, and plenty of people ^^

ALl of these are easily found in the search window, have fun ^^

EDIT:: Oh! And Luskwood and the Ark at Mystica (Mystika?) if you are of the furry persuasion, or just don't mind furries.. both are wonderful places

Club Rockaway. It's not the sort of club with dancers and escorts. It's a place to go hang out, chat - your avi can dance - if you feel like turning on your sound, you can listen to the music. Anyway, I've met most of my best in-game friends at Club Rockaway.

If you need help shopping to look good, just IM me inworld, Sandy. I love to shop and it would be fun to help you achieve your SL "look". Unfortunately, I'm not inworld as much as I would like to be and operate in the EST zone. However, if you IM me, we could work something out. Welcome to SL and welcome to the forums! Good luck!

Ooh! Ooh! I know! I know! Go shopping!

No money? No problem! I highly recommend the Free Dove as a place to get designer-quality freebies and spruce up your av in no time. Sarah Nerd's Freebie Paradise is another. Wilted Rose has a nice freebie/dollarbie area. There are more... many more... Then, of course, you'll be busy for a while taming your inventory. Not only will this make your av look good, but it will give you an idea what creators suit your style if and when you do decide to spend money, and will help keep you from being ripped off by people reselling the same freebies you can get, well, free.

I'm fond of taking classes, though I haven't been doing as much of that recently. Don't really need a sculpted snowman poofer? Who cares? You'll learn building concepts and techniques that will apply to what you DO want to build. Not every class is about building or scripting, either - there are even a few Avatar Makeover classes offered. I think I saw a flirting class recently, too. Oh - and I met some very good friends during Newbie Q&As.

I'm a big proponent of the Search menu - try Nightlife and Entertainment on the Events tab. That's how I've found a lot of my favorite hangouts and met many of my friends. (Also, there are more likely to be people there if an event is going on. A lot of places are packed during events, and empty in between.)

I know I mentioned it in another thread, but use the search menu and check out Inspire Space Park - I was literally awestruck the first time I was there.

Ooh, me too, me too! I love group shopping trips.

I haven't tried out any classes so far but I've been thinking it might be a good idea - are these normally just 'turn up at the advertised time and join in' type things, or do you have to sign up in advance?

--
Aes

Any shopping trip, if you're like me....lol We'll have to plan something. Sandy, IM us. You'll probably get at least one of us online.
I was going to mention Free Dove, too, only someone else did. They have some really nice quality things there by top SL designers, and you can also get free hair, as well as vouchers for any style of your pick at Gurl 6, and someplace else. (I think Calla)

We need another group shopping trip.

Welcome Sandy

Calla's free stuff is at the front counter at their store. Good freebies at Black Moon, too.

ETD has free and near free hair also. In the discount section. Also free/near free outfits and shoes. For a while there I wore the clothes and hair from there and was set

Gurl6 gives out free hair to noobies under 30 days. And, join their group for sure. They occassionally give out great free gift packs. At Halloween, I got a huge bonus hair pack, 1 style but it was every single color they have, which is more like 30 colors in all if not more. Plus, all of their hair comes in 3 sizes. They also have a wall where there are some freebies of not as good hair as the ones they sell, but pretty decent nonetheless.

Also, Szentasia's FAshions (please someone correct me on spelling, I'm at work) is really upscale lingerie and they too, will give you a freebie if you are under 60 days. Some really impressive things. Very risque in fact.

Twinky's Treasures comes to mind too.

I think I will need to update this tomorrow - I'm home from work

Usually it's just 'turn up at the advertised time and join in.' Sometimes you end up at a central point and have to TP to the designated classroom, but that's usually no biggie.

Most classes with size limits have a set number of spaces so you may want to show up a little early to grab a space. A few I've been to have a set number of supply kits to hand out. If you're not in time to grab a space, many instructors will let you hang out and observe, and frequently the class will be offered again at another time as well.

Count me in if you organize one Lexxi Hopefully I'll be around. I could use a girl's day out for a change.

Yep, I took a new resident shopping at ETD this evening and she came out of there looking rather nice. Well after also scoring the free Sin Skins of course
Frustrating that it's no script though, her English was as bad as my French, so no amount of Babbler and De-babbler could help us there.
Fun though!

I agree about age. You know what's struck me as weird about that issue? Since I've been in SL, the range of music I listen to has blown wide open. I had a pretty narrow range before SL. Now, it's anything and everything. I think the fact that people of all age groups mix without any of the constraints that society puts on us has broadened my horizons quite a bit.

Add the SL Botanical Gardens to your list. You know what's fun? Pull up the search window. Go to Places. Pick the first word that pops into your mind and put it in search. Do it with a friend and take turns. You find really cool stuff that way. You also find a lot of junk, but if you have a little time to burn and someone cool to do it with, even the junk can be pretty funny.

I'd also urge you to check out some stuff that you wouldn't normally do in RL. Sure, go with what you're interested in in RL, but maybe go out on a limb a little and try something totally out of character.

I looked you up in world and noticed you don't have a profile photo yet! Stop by my studio or IM me, and I'll take one for you on the house...cause....I feel like it! I'll even loan you something purty to wear!

I just noticed you mentioned enjoying a balloon ride. Acropolis has dozens upon bazillions of tours you can take and several are balloon rides. There are a bunch of different Acropolis' in search - 4 or 5 as I recall. Just pop around them and you'll have a lot of fun.

I almost said, "take someone with you". I said that in my previous post as well. It counts double for Acropolis. Exploring with a friend is way more fun than exploring alone, imho. Who else are ou going to talk to while you look around? You need to make fun of the garbage you see, and point out the really cool stuff to each other. Also, you can always say, "screw it, let's go dancing" and you'll either have a ready made dance partner or a built in wingman, depending on who your friend is.

This thread makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over

You're right though and helping new residents is also fun!

Except for the bit where the new resident girl I took around this evening was laughed at by others for not wearing a bladie under her newly acquired hair ((

I'm sure they won't be reading this.......... but we were all new once right