It’s Friday night, and while most college students are making plans and going out to party, I’m snuggling up with my lovely Nintendo 3DS and popping in one of my favorite games. For hours. And hours. It may not be the most usual college experience, but I’m a gamer girl, and I love my life. I have done this for most of my four years at college. I am of legal age and in the past year I only had 3-4 alcoholic drinks with family.
Most of my days consist of either surfing the Internet, reading for homework or gaming. Video games take up most of my spare time. “Fantasy Life,” produced by Level 5 is a video game I waited more than a year for and was released on Oct. 24. I started playing it as soon as I got my hands on it.
It has now been 2 weeks, and I have already binged more than 80 hours of game play. That means I played “Fantasy Life” for roughly 6 hours a day. I maxed out at 12 hours on one weekend, day right day it’s release and I am far from beating it.
My father didn’t quite understand my video-game-loving life particularly when I was in middle school. He was more concerned about my grades. He kept saying I should “focus more on my school work than video games” until I showed him my report card. I was making good grades, getting nothing lower than a B while I was gaming, and he didn’t bring it up again.
My older sister and I love gaming more than anything even if I am 21, and my sister is 26. My sister has a full-time job and I’m going to be graduating college next semester. Her job takes up a big chunk of the week and I am still studying with homework to do but both of us find the time to play a game or two.
I also have an endearing boyfriend of two years that not only supports my gamer girl life and tendencies but is also into games as much as I am. I’m lucky to have such a nerdy guy with me.
I was 9-years-old when I had a Game Boy Advance and playing “Pokemon Ruby.” My eyes were hooked to the screen as I walked to class, down stairs and across campus never running into anything or anyone.
Sometimes I get so engrossed in a game that I would sometimes forget what time it was. I do put the game system down when I must, like for classes or everyday needs, but it won’t be long before I’m back to playing again.
This hobby grew into a key part of my life and there’s no way I will abandon it. Video games kept me close to family and led me to my boyfriend while keeping me collected through my last year of college. I will forge ahead as a gamer, snuggling into my bed and popping in another game to binge on tonight.
