Ancient Elantrian

Since I was summoned here, my two cents would be that you do what you feel you have to, but only if you're convinced it's what you should do or want to do.

I've seen people leave because the Shard was becoming sort of an addiction for them, so they didn't want to leave but they made the choice for their own wellbeing. I've seen people leave because they aren't allowed in the Shard, and while I would have some things to say about that, I understand people can't exactly argue back to their parents on this sort of thing if they are underage. And of course, I've seen tons of people leave without a word, logging in less and less often as time goes on, probably becoming disinterested with time.

So I understand there are good reasons to leave, however, since you're asking for reasons to stay, am I right to think you want to be convinced? It's hard to choose the right thing to say without knowing your circumstances, and of course, I won't pry, so I'll make do with a few general questions. 

Do you still have fun here? Do you have friends you value talking to here? Can you be in the Shard without it affecting your responsibilities irl?

Because if the answer to all of these is yes, then I think that's plenty of reason to stay.

If that is not the case, then can it change? If you're not having fun, is it a transitional thing that can right itself with time? If it's affecting your responsibilities, do you think yourself capable of measuring your time here so this becomes a healthy hobby? If that's the case, again, I think it's plenty of reason to at least give it a shot.

Your choice is yours to make, and whatever you choose we'll respect it, but if you actually want to stay, then I think you should make an effort to make it possible. I've seen very few people join the Shard and stay in the long run. It would be sad to lose another. 

First and foremost take care of yourself. Make sure that your health and mental well-being are your top priorities. If the Shard causes you to feel worse, then do what you have to do to get better. 

But if that's not a problem, then like others already said, ask yourself why did you come here, do you enjoy spending time on the forum and why do you want or have to leave. This community is full of amazing people always ready to help you. Spending time here getting to know all those people better, having great discussions and fun games with them, sharing your passion and excitement over Brandon's work and other hobbies is the reason you need to stay here. 

It can be addictive and if this is your problem, if your time management isn't that great and you stay on the forum far longer than you should, then this can be managed with hard work and strong will. It might be hard, but it’s worth a try. Quoting Dalinar: “the most important step a person can take is always the next one.”

Oh, hello. 

If you feel like it's good to leave the shard, or just don't feel as happy here as you used to, that's okay. Take care of yourself, we understand. 

But we also enjoy having you here.