Hi am Emanuel! I just recently became interested in the hobby after my friend had introduced it to me. I don't have a doll yet but I'm in the process of saving up for one now. I'm excited to jump into the hobby and its nice to meet all of you!
Welcome to the hobby! I hope you can get your first doll soon, but there's so much to explore prior to getting one. Den of Angels is a great resource, too, so you're definitely in the right place if any questions come up. Have any dolls caught your eye so far?
I agree with Eri-chan this forum is a great place to learn and be tempted, so be careful. I am also in Illinois. If you're near Arlington Heights there is a group that gets together at least once a year maybe twice this year for meet ups. If you PM me here I can keep you posted and send info when it is time to sign up. I am also part of a group that meet in Madison but we have to still keep numbers low as maybe members have auto immune systems or other health issues. We insist on mask wearing. Any questions about DOA or dolls in general I am happy to help.
Welcome to the hobby Emanuel!! I hope you enjoy it! I'm also curious which dolls have caught your eye. Hope you can get one soon.
I haven't really had the time to look. But I'll definitely post again when something does catch my eye!