This is an introduction to get started in Second Life. From signing up to learning skills to getting ready to launch into the amazing world out there. Part 2 of 2.

1. Before we explore this amazing world, let ’s review the Sidebar. The Sidebar is a multi-functional display that slides out << and contains your inventory, avatar tools, landmarks, and your friends info. Open and close Home Profile People Places My Inventory My Appearance

2. After opening the Sidebar, the Home Tab is a good place to when you need help or some ideas of where you can explore this world. Start with the Destination Guide for suggested places to visit.

4. Under the Home Tab, you can find the World Map to discover where you are. The globe icons are Landmarks, places you want to visit again like your web browser ’s favorites.

6. If you want to make a Landmark to save for later, go to menu bar under World > Landmark This Place. The Landmark will appear under your Places tab in your Sidebar. You can share your Landmark with others by clicking and dragging the icon over an avatar or in the IM window.

7. Avatar Appearance – You can make your avatar look however you want to express your best self. It takes time to get an unique look that fits and have fun working on it. Don ’t worry if you lose your hair temporarily. You can attach another hair from your inventory quickly and easily. Search for what you need and right-click to attach or wear. You can also click and drag the item over your avatar to wear it. To detach, right-click and choose detach from the menu.

8. Shape – the 3D figure of your avatar. Skin – the texture applied over the shape. Clothes – textures that are wrapped around your avatar on top of the skin. There are many layers of clothing. Hair – you can use default hair. But, most people now wear prim hair, which is an attachment. Attachments – Prim Objects that you attach to your avatar like hair, shoes, skirts, belts, scarves, glasses, jewelry, jet packs, hats, and shoulder pets.

9. Remember that an avatar is a visual representation of yourself and a form of Personal Branding that must communicate your enthusiasm, openness, and mission to tap those productive emotional interactions and encouraging participation that online communities utilize. Your appearance should reflect your identity and what is appropriate for your mission in Second Life. There are plenty of times to dress up for formal events, games, and themed parties.

10. Customizing Your Avatar is fun! There are plenty of free looks in your inventory, but go shopping! Freebie - An item/object made available at no cost (or L$1). Go shopping for some freebies to start getting a feel for dressing your avatar. Linden Dollars – Actual money in Second Life that you can buy you ’re your credit card or Paypal to use in world. You can cash out Lindens to US dollars as well. L$100 is about equal to $.40 or $1.00 = L$260. You can create an unique Outfit and then save it under My Appearance.

11. What is happening in Second Life behind your back when you are not inworld? Check out your Dashboard! Interact through the web from your Dashboard to see who is inworld, learn something new from blogs or video tutorials, exchange Linden Dollars, go shopping at the Marketplace, check out the latest information about what is happening in Second Life.

13. Quick Start Guide and Educational Resources Check out the Quick Start Guide! Everything in Second Life is made by Residents. The world takes on a whole new meaning when you start to build objects yourself. Take classes to learn how to build, sell, and market your goods or services. Learn about Permissions. Please! http://wiki.secondlife.com Get to know all the Torley Linden Videos! http://secondlife.com/my/whatnext/video-tutorials/

15. If you get a little lost or forget how do things in Second Life, check out Learn The Basics for a refresher.

16. Set your Home location that you teleport to when you choose to from the menu bar World > Set Home to Here. Home may be set to land that you own, land that a group you are a member of has, or Linden Land that allows anyone to set their home there like the Welcome Area. Click on the little Home icon to get home. If you don ’t feel good about someone, just excuse yourself politely, walk away, or ask a friend to help get you out of a situation. Teleport Home if you need to get away fast.

17. Chat with other avatars – they are great resources and tour guides. They will be come fast friends and loyal customers too. It is easy to become close friends with people in Second Life because you are sharing with them your inner self. Ask for help - most people in Second Life are smart and friendly. Voice - You can talk in voice using a headset or mic. You click on the Speak button to be heard and look for the green speaker lines show above talking avatars heads.

18. Inventory – everything you own in Second Life is in Your Inventory and Library. The Library are free items that Second Life provides all Residents and adds to often. You have folders that contain Animations, Bodyparts, Calling cards, Clothing, Gestures, Landmarks. Lost and Found, Notecards, Objects, Snapshots, Scripts, Sounds, Textures, and Trash. You can use the search in your inventory to find what you need, so naming items is important. Notecards – Documents that can contain text, images, landmarks, SLURLs, and objects.

19. Don ’t worry! Nothing bad will happen to your avatar if it falls from a great distance. Sometimes free falling can be amusing!

20. Friends - users whom you have chosen to stay in closer contact with. Write in the Private Notes in their Profile to remind you why you are friends and possible connections. You offer friendship to another avatar or they you. These avatars will appear on your friends list under the People tab in your Sidebar. You can see their online/offline status, IM them, track their position on the map, or let them edit your objects. People will know you defriended them because you will not show up on their friends list. Search for an avatar and add them as a Friend.

22. Group - an organization in Second Life is which consists of at least two Residents. The Groups you belong to are under the People tab in the Sidebar. You can join an open group with similar interests as you by searching for them and then pushing the Join button. Join a group to receive notices, interesting event info, and goodies. When you are working on a project with others, it helps to belong to the same group so that you can chat together privately, share objects, and build cooperatively. Click on the white check to make your group active.

24. Snapshots – You can save photos of your adventures in Second Life by taking a snapshot. You can email the shot, save it to your hard drive, or keep it inworld for L$10 to share with friends. Take a snapshot of yourself for your Profile photo.

25. My Profile – This is like a mini bio about you and what you do in Second Life. You should fill out the information on each tab and add textures to enhance it. Other Residents read your Profile to get to know you so that they can find out if you have common interests. Not filing out your Profile will make people suspect you are a greiver. A griefer is a name for a Second Life Resident who harasses other residents and is destructive to property.

26. Thank you and enjoy your start in Second Life! uniqueasyou.com