Today’s post is not aimed at people who are new to the SCA, but those of us who have been around a while, especially Peers. It’s good to make yourself available to new people, and obviously I am a big fan of that. But we also can’t put all the responsibility for making contact on their shoulders. We need to take the time and initiative to seek out new people and make them feel like they are part of the community.
This doesn’t only apply to new people. There are probably people in the SCA that you’ve seen for years and never talked to. Maybe they fight and you don’t, or they’re part of a big household. Talk to them anyway. The more our various social circles overlap, the more we become one big “us” with no “them”.
This also doesn’t apply only at events. Be active with your local group at meetings and practices, and talk to people you don’t know. The more connections we all have, the more we’re able to look out for each other and share our fun.