Tips for Adult Ant Therians!
I haven’t seen any tips for ants yet, and as an ant myself, it’s my duty to make this my first post lol. This list can also be useful for non-adult ant therians, for the most part!
1. Build routines around colony-style thinking. I personally enjoy collecting things (especially plants, vulture culture, and other nature-y things), cooperative hobbies (such as playing Minecraft with friends), organizing (extra tip: go get a calendar and some journals/notebooks to organize your life and make a schedule to help you keep track of how to keep your house and car clean), and having a structured daily schedule. These activities mirror ant instincts!
2. Connect with other adult therians. They don’t have to be ants (I know we’re hard to come by lol). Adult therian spaces tend to focus more on self-understanding, spirituality, psychology, and balance rather than just roleplay alone. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy roleplaying as my theriotypes, but for me it’s about embracing my spiritual past-life identities and how they manifest in my current-life psychological identity.
3. Creative outlets can help a lot. Keeping ants in a formicarium you designed yourself, designing and keeping vivariums in general, building things in Minecraft with friends, brainstorming some colony-inspired worldbuilding for that book you really want to write (or the D&D campaign you really want to run), creating an ant thri-keen character for that D&D campaign you’re joining soon, drawing maps (with tunnels ofc) for the D&D campaign you’re running, and maybe even some macro photography, just to name a few ideas!
4. A general tip, but also an important one: Don’t pressure yourself in trying to “prove” your theriotype(s), even if you’re only trying to prove them to yourself. Experiences vary widely between individuals, so try not to feel like you’re “faking” and panic over it just because your experiences are different from others! Speaking from experience here, especially since ants are one of the more unusual theriotypes out there!
5. Explore movement and sensory habits. I enjoy practicing quadrobics, gym workouts (mostly strength training, but I also plan on taking a martial arts class), carrying or laying under weighted objects (weighted plushies and blankets my beloved), choosing clothes and other objects with interesting but also sensory-safe textures, and following trails during hikes/walks (similarly to how ants follow the pheromone trails of other ants)!
6. Find safe, subtle forms of expression. Creating art, making subtle ant-related gear and jewelry (you could also wear an antennae headband on Halloween if you’re like me and don’t have the confidence to wear one in public on any other day), journaling, and making a playlist that reminds you of being an ant are some subtle ways I personally express myself.
7. Observe real ant behavior. Watching colonies, trail systems, nest building, and communication patterns can help you connect with your theriotype in a grounded way. This can be done outside, or even better, using a formicarium!
8. Watch for burnout. Ant-associated mindsets can lean toward overwork and stress. Rest matters too. <3