Being metal is not growing your hair out, getting piercings and putting on black clothes, but if you want to, why not? Being metal should really be just being you.Here are the tips:

1. Have a real reason to "be" metal. This should be directly correlated between you and the music. Also be able to defend metal, because most of it is considered very taboo in normal society.
2. Anyone who just listens to a few bands is a fan boy, not really a metalhead.
3. Don't be elitist. Nothing is worse than a stuck-up extreme metalhead. Respect newer conventions, genres and bands, maybe even experiment with them; without them, metal would become stagnant and repetitive. Respect others' right to enjoy them too.
4. Just looking metal is crazy. In real metal it is not about looking extreme; some of the most hardcore metal players don't have any piercings, tattoos, or even long hair. Take Muhammed Suiçmez (The guitarist of the band Necrophagist) for example.
5. Metal is all about being you; if you like it don't be afraid to listen to it.
6. The most important thing about any metal band is its passion, not its location or BPM.
7. Birds of a feather flock together. It is good to talk to other metal heads. This is a great way to discover new bands since metal is avoided in mainstream media.
8. Learning an instrument is a great way to understand the genius of metal, mainly progressive metal, more. Even try joining/forming a band if you think you are good enough.
9. Everything about being metal is about having fun and being you: jam out at concerts, in your car, headbang, air guitar at school, whatever.