<p>A few weeks ago, I posted a survey about how folks here chose their usernames and images and several people asked me to share the results. Statistically, it’s not significant because of the small number of responses (about 50), but people shared some really thoughtful ideas that gave me lots of insight on how we construct our online identities.</p>
<p>The choice of user name is not random for most people, but is inspired by either their own interests or those of their child. Interestingly, no one said their name was inspired by their pet, but a large number of users chose images of their pets when CC introduced the avatar option. User names hold at least some significance for almost all users, but images were less significant, possibly due to their newness. (And almost 40% of respondents were just using the default CC image at the time of the survey.)</p>
<p>We tend to be a trusting lot here – if someone’s name is something like “soccermom” we assume they are in fact a mother who either likes/plays soccer or has a child who does. But we also evaluate the content of the posts as part of our perception of the poster. Several people said they think of the people here as “friends” – what my kids call my invisible friends.</p>
<p>Not that these statistics are meaningful, but I was interested to find that 81% of respondents identified as female, and 79% said they were in the 46-65 age group – both probably influenced by where on CC I posted the survey. Thanks to everyone who participated, and I hope this summary doesn’t violate TOS!</p>
<p>My screen name was the random assignment of a user name by a past employer for purposes of getting into the hospital computer system. However, a CC member once asked me if my DH and I had been “nerds” in high school before we became fabulous adults. After I looked again at my screen name, I wished I hadn’t given the actual boring origin of my screen name and had instead chosen the more interesting and “obvious” one. :D</p>
<p>Eons ago I posted on another forum where folks self identified with references to geography. My state name was taken, so I chose a regional name. Ironically, I was recognized from the other forum at a point on CC. </p>
<p>Teriwitt, there was a book years ago, Pooby and Dingan, about the importance of imaginary friends. I have often though of folks here as imaginary friends, if quite real to yourselves. </p>
<p>Back when CC had profile comments somebody wrote on my profile, “Oh my god camille saint saens has a cc account?!” I have to confess that I am not actually Camille Saint-Saens.</p>
<p>My screen name was created the day S2 learned he had been admitted to his first choice ED. I was over the moon.</p>
<p>And my avatar is my two wonderful Australian Shepherds. Who, if they had thumbs, would be at MIT and University of Chicago. Yes, they are that smart.</p>
<p>I joined at the end of my second child’s application process, when I had come to the conclusion that the whole college application process, at least here where I live, was crazy… </p>
<p>My grandfather was a Romani Gypsy and he and I had identical eyes. He passed away on my third birthday but he always said he loved my little “Gypsy eyes” (he was not fluent in English so it sounds kind of awkward). Hence, RomaniGypsyEyes. </p>
<p>On most other forums I have a completely different name but someone else on CC has that name. </p>
<p>My dog (in the picture) is Cleopatra but she pretty much only responds to “Moo Moo” now… her nickname because of her cow-like markings. </p>
<p>I joined at the beginning of my son’s senior year in high school. Don’t know why I didn’t make up a name, maybe because it was a serious thing for me in those days. It’s the first forum I joined other than cruising forums.</p>
<p>My avatar is the beach in Sanibel. It’s a stand-in for any beach, which is how I want to spend my golden years. I could use my cat instead to counter all these dogs…</p>
<p>My screen name is one I was given at a job I had in college and the only ‘alternative’ name I’ve ever had. I use it on a couple of other boards as it makes me nostalgic for a fun period of my earlier life. Incidentally, I joined this board during the high school years of my oldest D (2013 college grad) and my youngest (high school senior) was accepted ED so my ‘official’ time on CC is over but it’s such a great group here and I enjoy so many of the threads. Oh, and I’m currently working on a certificate program in college counseloring so I’ll definitely be sticking around! :)</p>
<p>I got my BS and MS at UT-Austin, so I’m a Longhorn (my earliest memories are attending UT baseball, basketball, and football games with my dad, too), and now I live in Maine.</p>
<p>Like VeryHappy, my avatar is my Australian shepherd, Foster, who could also hold his own at MIT if he had thumbs! It’s almost scary how smart he is.</p>
<p>My kids say I’m like the mama duck in “Make Way For Ducklings”. I wanted to take a screenshot of an illustration from the book for my avatar, but worried about breaking copyright.</p>