We’ve all met someone who dedicates themself to their passion, whether it be a hobby, occupation, or lifestyle. But when it comes to sophomore Marcrow Farinas, they’ve been enchanted by a single piece of media: Five Nights at Freddy’s. Lining their walls with figurines and posters, Farinas decorates with their expanding collection of FNAF merchandise. After the fateful tap on a YouTube video, Farinas has invested time and money into their nearly decade-long obsession.
“My first experience, I was probably about six or seven years old,” Farinas said. “I was browsing on YouTube. Back then, Markiplier was one of my favorite YouTubers, so I used to watch his gameplay videos. I saw his recent upload about FNAF, and thought the characters looked very appealing–- like Chuck E. Cheese.”
Like many others, Farinas was drawn in by the creepy elements of the animatronics.
“I remember being scared when I watched it,” Farinas said. “But I ended up liking it when I saw more YouTubers playing and I became a huge fan. Foxy was my favorite back then, and I used to binge everything when I was young; rewatching all the fan animations and movies.”
However, it wouldn’t be until five years later when Farinas began their collection.
“My first ever FNAF merch was a collection of the original animatronics I got for Christmas,” Farinas said. “I’d say before quarantine; I got it as a gift from my relatives. I was ecstatic since I was still obsessed with FNAF at the time.”
The figurines were just the beginning of Farinas’ journey, as they continued to build their collection nonstop.
“When I first discovered FNAF, I did not expect to have such a huge collection,” Farinas said. “And I also didn’t expect to have such a fixation with it. It grew over time and it became one of the core memories of my childhood. I grew up on it, and it ended up being a huge part of my growth. That’s why I’m a very weird child today.”
As a veteran in the community, Farinas has seen it all — for better and for worse.
“There are two sides of FNAF content,” Farinas said. “You either get bizarre, mind-numbing content, most likely cringeworthy, or the most atrocious, nightmarish content that is definitely not for children. Sometimes, you would see normal content, which is sort of in between and more plot-based.”
While recent additions like the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie attracts backlash, Farinas shares their positive take on the new film.
“I personally really liked the movie,” Farinas said. “I think the ratings are a bit too harsh. If you’ve been a fan for a while, you would definitely love it. Personally, I loved it, and the fact it’s getting a DVD means I’m probably going to rewatch it over and over again.”
With three years of experience, Farinas views collecting as a treasure hunt, bringing about emotional completion as well.
“Collecting is very satisfying,” Farinas said. “It’s like searching. Like when you’re collecting rare cards, it’s hard to find them or they’re too expensive. The satisfaction of completion is similar to finding various jewels. They’re valuable and precious, but hard to find. It’s the satisfaction of seeing your collection grow over time, and it gives you bragging rights. Not that I’m a bragger, I just like collecting.”
Though collecting seems fun, it’s not a hobby easily picked up. According to Farinas, it’s an exchange of emotional gain and monetary loss.
“If you have a strong passion, you should go ahead and do it,” Farinas said. “However, it costs lots of money to collect. The older they are, the more costly. I’d say one of my single figurines was at least $65, so you should make sure you have the money first before collecting.”
Farinas does not plan on parting with FNAF anytime soon. In fact, they’re prepared for a life intertwined with it.
“I don’t see a future without my collection,” Farinas said. “I know that if I do have money, I will likely be using it to expand my collection. And if I did get my own house, it would be covered with all my collections.”
