To the novice user, a site like Reddit might seem pretty straightforward. How hard can it be? Step 1: Find interesting content. Step 2: Share said content. Step 3: Internet points. But as you delve deeper into the crevices of one of the internet's most visited destinations, you'll find a minefield of problems that you've likely never even contemplated, let alone prepared yourself for. Redditors are a toughened breed, hardened by years of internet scorn by those who can't understand what is so engaging about kittens, conspiracy theories, and live Q&As with anybody as far removed from each other as George Clooney and a guy who fills plastic bottles with bodily fluids. But beneath those carefully tipped Fedoras and finely trimmed neck beards, there are minds reeling with original content, amusing facts, and the stress of populating the front page of the internet. It isn't easy, you know? It's not all rainbows, sunshine, and up-votes. As any habitual visitor will attest to, there's more turmoil in a Redditor's day-to-day browsing than there are cat gifs in r/aww. It's a life plagued by the ever-present fears of accidental reposts, ill-received jokes, and karma trains that always seem to be leaving the station just as you arrive. The fabled front page seems light-years away, a magical place that your cleverly captioned pictures of ducks giving advice seem never to be destined for. So to save yourself from the inevitable down-votes and heartbreak, here are 17 things to expect as a Reddit user.
