How many times have you told yourself, your friends, children even, that they have been wasting their time while playing video games yesterday, today, even this week? Even if you did, I sure hope that you did not mean it.
I have been playing all sorts of video games since I was around 7 years old, which makes it into more than 20 years by now and would I say that I have wasted way too much time that I could have spent doing something else – let's say learning new languages, gaining more social skills and etc.? Nope.
While other kids were hanging out with their classmates in a closed circle, I was in touch with kids from all over the globe.
While we were only starting to learn how to say cat and dog in the 2nd grade I've already had my vocabulary filled in with way much more just by learning, translating and reading what different skill sets do within the game, which lead me to getting individual assignments in class.
While I was told that I will lose my social skills in real life, I was planning a raid in-game with around 15 different people while speaking on a mic in both local and foreign languages.
Don't even get me started on how many friends I've found!
Time management in real life? What about organizing a clan meeting with people from different time-zones while still being at a top of the class in school.
Have you ever felt lonely while being surrounded by people? Multiple reasons may come into place, be it the wrong people around you or the need to distance your physical body. However, I did realise that people who want to escape from the current perspectives per say tend to thrive online (take it with a grain of salt) - get the needed attention or thrill just by joining in to play with people that you may potentially never meet irl. What does it give? Try sharing secrets knowing fully well that no one from your close group will ever find out + you'll have it off your chest.
By the time I was 17 it was my first time going abroad in real life, at the same time when I was 17 I've already ''travelled' and learnt the history of Greece, Egypt and etc. within the games that were going through the times from a historical perspective using real characters. Did It make my history exam easier? I gotta say yes.
I can only admit that I am a really positive ambassador of gaming and in my opinion, you can never call it a waste of time unless it does interfere with your real life and prevents you from doing your job, studies or similar.
Tho, instead of telling someone that they have been wasting their time, try to understand what they enjoy about the game, why they wish to escape to the cyber world and well, what games are best to learn strategy, team building, languages, history – you name it!
When it comes to travelling, I sure missed travelling back in the days, but I've found a way out and I am currently in Asgard - a location associated with gods. It is depicted in a multitude of Old Norse sagas and mythological texts.
