If I never joined ZD, would my life be better or worse than it is now? I have to say, if I never joined ZD in April 2010, it's likely that I might not even have been alive at this point. I went through a particularly rough patch in my life this past winter, and I'm sure that without the support and guidance of my friends here, I would have strayed and done awful things. I'm closer with the majority of people here than I am with a lot of people around my own town. I can name about a dozen members that I've shared more of my own life with than anyone else irl. That's not to say I'm anti-social, but I think I find it easier to relate with most people here.
If I never joined ZD, I'd probably still be Roman Catholic. After having debated about some topics and venturing into things myself is when I started to change my beliefs. I would think that if I never joined ZD, I wouldn't really have been on the internet much at all. I'm not sure what I'd be doing with my time. At first, I figured I'd have a lot more time to practice basketball - but chances are I wouldn't have developed the motivation to better myself if not for, again, my friends here. Although Jordyn Wieber is really the person who has inspired me to train hard. I'm not sure if I would have developed a fangirlism for her if I hadn't joined ZD.
Honestly, I've been here so long that it's completely changed my mindset. I've become a much more mature person after my dealings here over the years. I'm not entirely sure why. I suppose being in a position of authority has really shaped up my attitude. It makes me proud that I was chosen to help uphold the rules and that I can help people at least in this little way. Overall, my experience on ZD has been very positive, if not for a few bumps and hitches along the road. It's taught me a number of things, besides maturity. It's helped me develop my writing skills and debating prowess - which has become something I'm extremely proud of, just check my signature. I love being able to debate civilly yet so effectively to baffle anyone who tries to disagree with me. It makes me feel really good about myself.
ZD has also exposed me to many new things: different religious views and different political views; different lifestyles and cultures; different tastes in games, music, or movies; and advice about school, sports, and life in general that I most likely would not have found had I not joined this site. If I no longer could visit ZD, I'd most likely totally dedicate myself to my studies and basketball. I've recently even considered resigning as a moderator because I wanted to really train hard, but I really love it here and it would hurt to do that. As of right now, I can balance both my job here and my training, as well as any school projects I've had to do over the summer. Once school itself starts, I'll have to see how that goes. Even if I couldn't come online as much as I do now, I'd definitely keep up with my friends here as they've become a huge part of my life.
I would have surfed the internet and would have ended up at other places and maybe would have liked it over there as much 
