I am not a huge fan of room threads I see their purpose and how friendships can be fostered through them however, I do think as a result they can be cliquey.
However, I would say the cliques throughout the years on ryl have been formed around the room threads i.e. the gays who were the rainbow room crowd, to the esthers queendom crowd, to the uni student bunch etc.
I know some people don't like the word cliques but they are always going to be formed that's the nature of life and they aren't a bad thing generally.
I have often heard from members and have experienced it myself when I go to a room thread and make a post asking for support and then I get ignored. It's then do I make a thread on a subject that is directly covered by said room thread or do I not I tend to opt for the 'not' and thus I don't get support.
That said I post in Boris and find that I like the environment that is there but aside from anything else I think the support members get on room threads is less than what they would get if they made their own thread.
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen
Is a chocolate muffin loving glitter ball
That said I post in Boris and find that I like the environment that is there but aside from anything else I think the support members get on room threads is less than what they would get if they made their own thread.
Yeah, I don't think room threads should ever replace support threads, but for things not really 'big' enough for a whole threads, that's where room threads are good. And then if you do have lots of srs bsns, then you can always pop in to ask people to take a look at your thread in GSA or MH or whatever.
Additionally, I just wanted to say I don't really think STOP, do this now thread should count as a room thread, because there isn't chit chat and it's just for positivity, which I think is very worthwhile. Which of course I would say, because I made it :P I don't know if everyone else regards it as just another room thread though?
Oh no, me neither, I was just making the point that it's OK for me, because I have the uni thread, but for a school student without BPD, a baby or BORIS-related issues it's just kind of like "bad luck, a sixth form student thread probably would of done just as well as the uni thread, but we are full up of room threads now".
But then again, I see your point about it getting out of hand, and one room thread per board sounds like a very good idea.
I can see why it looked like I was implying that you might think there were problems with the comfy couches but all I meant was that because (from a mod point of view) we literally never ever get PRs about anything that happens in those threads that they are probably the strongest candidates for staying if we were culling room threads altogether.
I think that if there is a couch thread in every board then that may cater for everyone? Obviously there is always going to be someone who feels like they have no where to post, but thats how things go for everywhere I think!
I just think if we streamlined the room threads then there would be such a big hassle with them and if theyre all called the same thing (colour+couch) then everyone will feel like they can post.x
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
Does the Chronic Illness Support thread count as a room thread? :/
Now I'll play your ghost as my ace, whenever I'm led astray.
But I am actually good, can't help it if we're tilted.
I'm in my right place, don't be a downer.
I wouldnt count the chronic illness thread as a room BUT thats just my view and isnt the view of all the mods etc, just me :)
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
I just think if we streamlined the room threads then there would be such a big hassle with them and if theyre all called the same thing (colour+couch) then everyone will feel like they can post.x
I think that's a nice idea, but I guess the problem arises with GSA as there are multiple room threads in there, about completely different things. The uni student thread is an obvious example, but I imagine the employment based ones and the Chronic Illness ones are also equally well received. With BORIS, it's quite a specific board for one main issue, so the couch works well as there's chitchat plus one main issue that people might bring up, whereas GSA encompasses so many things, I think it would be difficult for a couch type thread to do well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rodolphus
Does the Chronic Illness Support thread count as a room thread? :/
I think so, but I don't think anyone's trying to say that room threads in general are a bad thing, just that having ALL the room threads is a bit much :)
I personally dont think there should be any room threads in GSA,but thats just me.
I think its important for there to be a defined difference between supportive threads that are based around a set of issues and nothing more and room threads where the majority is support but theres other stuff involved too.
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
Out of interest, why would you not consider the chronic illness one a room thread? Is it because it is quite support-focussed and not chit chat [I've never read it but I imagine it's like that].
What would you suggest be done with the room threads that are in GSA? Would you advocate them being closed or moved?
Yeah thats exactly it concerning the chronic illness thread.
It depends on the thread!I think some should be moved, some should be closed altogether.
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
The CIS thread is almost entirely support based, and I think it helps the people who post and I wouldn't like to see it closed. I also don't think it's an appropriate thread to be moved to another forum. I know this discussion is about all of the 'room' type threads, though, I'm not being defensive, it's just that it's the only one I use and know anything about any more :)
Now I'll play your ghost as my ace, whenever I'm led astray.
But I am actually good, can't help it if we're tilted.
I'm in my right place, don't be a downer.
Please dont make me merge the threads,itll mess up the posts :P
I dont really want to get into specific threads because then people get all protective and defensive about it and any examples used dont mean were planning to axe certain threads.x
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
I would say the language thread should have been in general chat. Uni thread should be in vets really. And I don't see why there's a need for a dissertation thread when there is the Uni thread. If someone is really struggling with a dissertation they can post their own support thread.
That said I do think room threads as a whole are a great way to make friends. I "know" a lot of members, recognise their posts etc, but since I don't use chat (too fast moving for me) the only members that I consider "friends" (in an online sense) are those I know via the uni thread.
Perhaps people planning to start a new room thread should post here and see where people suggest it should be placed (like with chronic illness thread) or else for certain topics make it in general chat, or fun and distractions.
