I, NoSeptember, am leaving Wikipedia :'-(.....

That is a statement from me that you will never see unless I really mean it. Here is why:

  • It shows a fundamental disrespect to the community to claim you are leaving Wikipedia unless you are absolutely sure that you will do so.
  • It adds to the drama, the soap opera aspect of the Wikipedia community while not contributing anything to the building of an encyclopedia.
  • By announcing you are leaving, you come across as very immature when you return, especially if you do it more than once. If you expect future support for an RfA or some other leadership position, you are seriously harming yourself.
  • So, if you are in any way uncertain, declare a wikibreak. Take at least one week to mull over your decision and let the emotions of the situation subside before making a true final decision.
  • Also, consider the way in which you approach Wikipedia. You don't have to keep doing what you have always done. Write some articles instead of vandal fighting, if the latter stresses you out. Cut back the hours you spend if you think you are becoming addicted. Think about how you want to continue, you have many options.
    • But don't burn your bridges. At some point you may decide to return to the area that is stressing you now. Allow yourself the option to do that at some future time.



I pledge to never declare my departure from Wikipedia until I have taken the time to be sure that this is not just a temporary inclination and I am absolutely certain that I am gone for good.


I invite you to take the pledge

We the undersigned take the pledge:

  1. NoSeptember talk
  2. Petros471 19:32, 8 March 2006 (UTC)
  3. Naturally. —Nightstallion (?) 14:12, 13 March 2006 (UTC)
  4. Having announced I was leaving other places and subsequently coming back anyway, I know firsthand what a bad idea such an announcement is, and I certainly intend never to repeat the error, especially not here. ++Lar: t/c 15:23, 1 April 2006 (UTC)
  5. Francs2000 14:40, 7 April 2006 (UTC)
  6. 151.204.80.81 01:21, 30 April 2006 (UTC)
  7. Kimchi.sg 16:25, 9 May 2006 (UTC)
  8. Of course. EWS23 (Leave me a message!) 04:44, 30 June 2006 (UTC)
  9. --FellowWikipedian 14:58, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
  10. --I solemnly swear... Thε Halo Θ 22:21, 25 July 2006 (UTC)
  11. Doing the I'm taking my bat and ball and going home thing epitomises immaturity - Glen 04:06, 2 August 2006 (UTC)
  12. Robert 03:11, 5 August 2006 (UTC)
  13. - CrazyRussian talk/email 00:54, 4 October 2006 (UTC)
  14. --Storkk 19:11, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
  15. Absolutely. In addition to what's said above, I strongly believe that Wikipedia is what you make it to be. Grandmasterka 10:07, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
  16. I promise. Also, completely agree with what Grandmasterka said. Dylan Lake 04:46, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
  17. NinaEliza 04:52, 9 December 2006 (UTC) I left and came back in less than 10 hours. I felt (and was) extremely silly.
  18. 1ne 10:02, 17 December 2006 (UTC)
  19. When I'm gone... I will be gone with no looking back, and leaving smoldering rubble behind me.  ALKIVAR 10:03, 17 December 2006 (UTC)
  20. If I ever leave Wikipedia entirely, it will be as it is crashing and burning. Regardless, I will not use leaving as a political stunt. If I truly leave, you won't know, because I will simply cease to edit. Anything else just adds soap operaness for absolutely no good reason. -Amarkov blahedits 18:42, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
  21. I agree totally with the above. --Deskbanana 22:34, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
  22. Carcharoth 13:13, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
  23. I would probably just go into low editing mode rather than ever leave, therefore it makes sense that I sign this. James086Talk 13:07, 20 February 2007 (UTC)
  24. --Parker007 06:45, 3 March 2007 (UTC)
  25. It is annoying when people make a big deal of their leaving of Wikipedia, and I hope not to do this if I leave. Captain panda 02:12, 3 May 2007 (UTC)
  26. Oh aye. – Riana 15:17, 3 May 2007 (UTC)
  27. Long and hard. —  $PЯINGrαgђ  03:49, 4 May 2007 (UTC)
  28. It's a bit ironic for me to sign this, because I tried to leave once before, but there were extenuating circumstances at the time. Like Amarkov, if I ever do actually leave in the future, it will be final and will be known only by the lack of further edits. --Kyoko 13:21, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
  29. Andre (talk) 22:19, 19 July 2007 (UTC)
  30. You'll know I'm gone when I'm not here anymore (oh yeah, just wrap your head around that). EVula // talk // // 20:41, 1 August 2007 (UTC)
  31. So true. ♠PMC♠ 21:00, 2 August 2007 (UTC)
  32. -- John Reaves 16:12, 25 September 2007 (UTC)
  33. I've had some thoughts. I won't leave, since I have no real reason to, but I wish to make clear that I will not unless I have truly made certain my decision. --tennisman
  34. I've tried to leave a few times to enforce a break upon myself (failed miserably ;) ), and I know that each time, I will only disappear, rather than inflicting all that icky drama upon everyone. People leaving politically is just immature. Nihiltres{t.l} 14:26, 21 November 2007 (UTC)
  35. I don't think I would ever do one of these big 'I'm leaving!!!' posts, it's just not who I am. I'm sure I won't be around here forever, but I don't intend to make a big deal out of it when I eventually go. Terraxos 04:02, 1 December 2007 (UTC)
  36. I'm here to write an encyclopedia, not to make dramatic exits. AniMate 22:41, 3 December 2007 (UTC)
  37. Perfect Proposal Happy Holidays! 22:38, 28 December 2007 (UTC)
  38. Astral (talk) 20:38, 23 January 2008 (UTC)
  39. I reserve the right to change my mind and withdraw from this pledge in a huff several times per month. Sarcasticidealist (talk) 01:23, 13 February 2008 (UTC)
  40. Don't really intend to leave, but if I do, you'll know because you won't see me anymore. GlassCobra 02:05, 16 February 2008 (UTC)
  41. I find it highly unlikely to leave Wikipedia at any time in the future; if I do, however, it will be because of a change in the encyclopaedia so profound as to not warrant my return. (On the other hand, there will be no retirement if I die, as my heir will inherit the account.) Waltham, The Duke of 11:41, 20 February 2008 (UTC)
  42. Will (aka Wimt) 17:48, 18 March 2008 (UTC)
  43. Agreed with The Duke^ J.delanoygabsadds 02:12, 19 March 2008 (UTC)
  44. dihydrogen monoxide (H2O) 10:29, 21 March 2008 (UTC)
  45. Animum (talk) 01:16, 7 April 2008 (UTC)
  46. A smart editor never leaves, he just fades away.--Father Goose (talk) 10:27, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
  47. Even though I have 'retired' before, I endorse this statement, albeit in an informal manner. Rudget 11:01, 20 April 2008 (UTC)
  48. If you hear me say the words "I'm retiring from Wikipedia," then I will truly mean it - whenever stress levels rise high, I'll just take a break, a few deep breaths, and return when I'm ready. That's the beauty of the project, nobody's forcing anything on you, you choose what to do, where to go, what to edit, how to interact, etc. It's unlikely you'll see me using this template, because I may still make sporatic contributions every now and then. More likely I will say "indefinite Wikibreak." But "retiring" because you're pissed off at something, then coming back in a few days saying "I'm BACK! :D" is just plain immature and annoying. Seriously, if you're gonna let a little stress get to you, then you need to mature a bit before you're ready to be part of this community. Valtoras (talk) 04:21, 12 May 2008 (UTC)
  49. How could I leave when I'm so good at it? Beam 14:12, 17 June 2008 (UTC)
  50. *nod* --cremepuff222 (talk) 00:52, 27 June 2008 (UTC)
  51. E TCB 04:28, 3 August 2008 (UTC)
  52. Wikipedia isn't a soap opera. We don't need to try to be one. Bart133 t c @ How's my driving? 02:47, 15 August 2008 (UTC)
  53. The obvious and only choice. weburiedoursecretsinthegarden 22:22, 7 September 2008 (UTC)
  54. Blooded Edge (TCA)
  55. I hold these truths to be self-evident. AGK 23:16, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  56. Great editors never "quit", they just fade away... Titoxd(?!? - cool stuff) 20:53, 26 December 2008 (UTC)
  57. Kurtis (talk) 23:16, 27 November 2012 (UTC)
  58. Brilliant. -GTBacchus(talk) 23:35, 26 January 2009 (UTC)
  59. --MZMcBride (talk) 04:03, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
  60. I have also recently promised (on user:Jayvdb/recall) to not resign from arbcom unless I mean it. John Vandenberg (chat) 23:48, 17 July 2009 (UTC)
  61. No more false statements.--Coldplay Expért Let's talk 22:24, 29 January 2010 (UTC)
  62. Agreed, leaving now is seen as a joke because people aren't thinking their actions through before they "leave". Kevin Rutherford (talk) 23:15, 11 July 2010 (UTC)
  63. Aye. this shouldn't happen. sonia♫♪ 23:20, 11 July 2010 (UTC)
  64. Let our patience be our strength. Dcoetzee 07:55, 21 March 2011 (UTC)
  65. Wikibreaks all round! -- Trevj (talk) 11:53, 10 May 2012 (UTC)