What Does It Take for Weewoos to Be the NT Mascots?

     Appearances and Impressions

     The newspaper company has picked the white Weewoo to be its official representative because of the various things the petpet can symbolize. The main element is its clean, white colour, which is synonymous with their crisp, freshly printed papers. Its elegant flight feathers, reforged into quills of the finest quality, also serves as the ideal emblem for a newspaper that publishes articles, comics and stories penned by folks from different lands. Furthermore, the official logo of the Weewoo on the front page, with its chirpy disposition and trademark quirk of its head, entices inquisitive minds to dive into the pages and discover the latest piece of news or creative work.

     With such an iconic image embedded in every Neopian's mind, it's only natural that the company seeks to uphold it with their large Weewoo workforce. That's why the winged petpets are expected to keep themselves immaculate and possess amiable personalities. Besides that, age and size also play a factor in determining whether the Weewoos are eligible for the post for two reasons: aesthetics, and the fact that it may affect their performance as mail carriers. The company's management team screens and selects only those which are of prime age and suitable height and weight. For all the petpet activists out there calling this practice unsafe, do not fret! There's no cause for concern because the team complies strictly with the rules set by the Petpet Protection League when it comes to the well-being of their employees and hence, assures that all of them are, and will remain, healthy and fit.

     Now, you might be wondering why the colour white is a criterion. The answer is straightforward: it's simple and classic. One may argue that other colours could offer more unique traits and attract the reader's attention more effectively. This perspective had already been thoroughly contemplated by the company and they had come to the conclusion that not only are they not universal colours and unable to represent the varied communities that subscribe to the newspaper, but the other breeds may also encounter problems when distributing the papers. For instance, grey Weewoos may be incompetent due to their perpetual sorrow, whereas mutant Weewoos may prioritise devouring the newspapers as part of their morning snack. Meanwhile, plushie Weewoos lack the ability to fly or travel, and robot Weewoos need to be reprogrammed every so often for them to function efficiently. The list can go on and on, so here's a summarized comic of some of the other assorted coloured Weewoos and their potential issues.

     Physical and Mental Prowess

     The most important obligation of a Weewoo is to successfully deliver newspaper copies to every NT subscriber within an allotted time. Depending on the locations it's assigned to, number of subscribers and weather conditions, the amount of time can take anywhere from a few minutes to several long hours. Therefore, Weewoos must train constantly and consistently to maintain their stamina and agility for these arduous tasks.

     For newly-appointed Weewoos, the company provides complimentary day-long training sessions twice a week for one month. The exercises focus on strength, balance, coordination, sense of direction, endurance, speed and resilience. Honing these skills will help them carry bundles of newspapers with care and caution more easily, improve their flying skills greatly and face unfavourable circumstances head-on with grit. Once the winged petpets are adept at all the aforementioned aspects, they're required to successfully complete three test runs, where they supply newspapers to mock neighbourhoods, before being approved as an official NT messenger.

     If you thought that was all that's necessary for Weewoos to become the face of the NT, then you're gravely mistaken. There's yet another essential quality that the employers look for, and that is intellect. It encompasses problem-solving and decision-making skills as well as recall and recognition. All Weewoo applicants are placed in a series of tests which evaluate their cognitive capabilities, and the two most prevalent ones that have been employed in the past decade are the Faulty Mailbox Dilemma and Mapping Travels. The first assesses how they tackle and solve the eponymous problem, while the second gauges their attention to detail and capacity to retain information when they're shown a map of a place with which they're unfamiliar. How well they do in these tests reflects on their affinity for the job, which increases their chances of being part of the NT team. It isn't an absolute rule that the Weewoos must pass with flying colours though, since the company conducts several classes for all new personnel to familiarize them with the rules and procedures. In addition, they're educated on a multitude of other things, including, but not limited to, their duties and responsibilities, the methods by which they can plan and reduce their travel time, and how to behave appropriately or deal with difficult customers.

     In summary, there's more to the adorable NT white Weewoo than meets the eye. Being proficiently well-rounded couriers is no easy feat, and these petpets have been at the helm of the delivery department for 975 issues! They don't have to bear all the burden; they could always let a bunch of average, passionless Neopets or petpets take on the errands, but they chose to do it, hoping that they're able to create wonderful, everlasting memories with us. In fact, it has already been established as a tradition of sorts, seeing that Neopians have now dedicated the annual NT special issues (#25, #50, #75, #00) solely to them.

     If you haven't had an opportunity to show your appreciation towards these little critters yet, it's never too late to start doing so! Although it's against company policy for them to accept gifts and food, there are other ways in which you can express your gratitude, such as giving them compliments, stroking their heads and preening their feathers. Don't take up too much of their time though, because they've got places to be!