So you created a name, got the viewer and logged in. 
Your standing around 'not quite sure where to go and what to do ' and your feeling mightie lost.

Keep reading, we are about to make it alot more interesting, and better for you.

Below we are going to list the 'ABC's" of surviving SL.

  1. Firstly if you on a free account and have no lindens we reccommend, reading the other pages on this site to get 'free stuff' that is alot nicer then the standard you get on arrival.
  2. Log onto the marketplace.secondlife.com there is alot of free stuff over there that can be sent to your avatar inworld.
  3. I brought something n its in a box, i dont know what to do with it? Consider it similiar to a 'zipped file' you need to unpack it. To unpack a box you need to be on land that allows you to. If you dont have a home in SL the easiest way to do this. is to go to a 'sandbox' (use search to find one) or use this one listed here, Sylvan Sandbox <<-- click the link and on the page that displays click the Teleport to button. Drag the box from your inventory onto the ground. then right click and 'open' when this popup loads click 'copy to inventory'. Then simply rightclick the box again and 'take' it or delete it.
  4. I can fly !!! but i cant go high!!! Second life has whats called a ceiling height, to go above this ceiling height you need to wear a 'flight feather' then you can fly really really high. Come here and buy the red box for your own flight feather (yes its free)
  5. When your starting out there is alot of free places to shop however there is also alot of crap. So heres a quick help quide to get you looking decent in a matter of 20mins.
1. Savoir Hair. - Free hair and 1Linden hair to buy. Gurls also visit Sweets hair in the first 30 days and get your free hair .(see free hair links page)

2. Animation Override - so you dont walk like a duck, i recommend Raymation's free AO or Sylva's Free AO - check the free AO page for Landmarks to get them.

3. Shoes - Girls go to N-core (link on free shoes page) and join the N-core group and take the free shoes on offer. (there great shoes at the front counter, look for the group join sign and gift bags)
Boys - Duh! if your under 30days new theres a free pair of sneakers on the wall near the entrance, or upstairs in the back room a free pair of pirate boots for boys and girls.

5. Eyes - Amacci - touch the 'update group sign' when you land and join the group and it will send you a box of eyes for free.
OR
Poetic colours -- new resident free eyes outside the entrance to the store. Poetic Colors

6. Skin - Lara skins for girls (links on the free body bits page.)
Boys - to come.

7. Outfit - Jeans (boys and girls) FK Virtues when you land there is a wall with a Mailing list/subscriber group sign on it. click to join and it sends you jeans to wear.
If your in a hurry try Lapointe and bastchild on the Free body bits page. they have a free shop of goth clothing. that you could mix and match it up with the jeans or simply throw the whole outfit on.

8.Shape - Eyecandy - has a starter kit of males and females. it has everything in it. Some ppl like them some ppl dont, but if you want a quick look without fuss 'till you work out all the in's and outs' go here.
OR
 Dawn Designs has mens and ladies starter kits just inside the doors (prolly the nicest girls one ive seent o date.

Thats it! if you dont like any of these things, check the individual free pages for a alternative.



Now for some tids and tads:

MM or Midnight Mania (blue)- are boards in shops that offer a item free IF the number is met.
if a board says 31 of 50 , then if 50 ppl click that board by midnight, all those ppl get the item on the board delivered to them for free.

LC or Lucky Chairs, Lucky boards : A board or chair that has a letter above it , if you name begins with that letter and you click or sit at that item you win  the item on offer straight away.

Mini Mania boards (green) - similiar to the MM boards however once the target number of ppl have clicked it, ONLY one random winner wins the prize. Normally smaller targets.

Camp Chairs - you sit on it for a set period and it gives you the prize.

Hunts, Hunts are Pretty big in SL, shops place items in there store, and you go find them, sort of like hide and seek. you travel from shop to shop grabbing the free things and in each object there is a Landmark to the next store. This is a great way to get free stuff, beaware, sometimes its good  free stuff, sometimes its rubbish. I will be adding a menu on the right side of this blog with links to all the current hunts shortly.

You keep talking about Groups and subscriber groups, what the hell are they?
ok shops have Groups to let ppl know when they release a new outfit, hair, skin, important updates etc. and some really nice ppl give out free stuff to there members, sometimes rarely, sometimes alot. You can only be a member of 25 groups inworld at this moment in time (SL is ment to increase this to 40 at some point). A Subscriber group is a group that is not counted toward this total, they also give out updates, etc and sometimes the owners give out stuff there too. Easiest way to remember is this , groups count, subscribers dont. ( join a hundred subscribers and LL dont care. You will just get alot of blue box popup notices about things LOL)

Please everyone knows i'm new to SL but i dont know how?
It displays above your head when you land in world. Easiest way to remove this is to join a group.

I flipping can't see around me its all dark and stuff...
on the sl viewer up the top of the screen do this.
World> Environmental settings> midday.
if this isnt bright enough try this
World > environmental settings > sky settings
on the popup look for the drop down menu and choose bree's appleblossum.