Fun, friendship, and moving on.

Like many young people, I spent time playing video games. It started as a way to connect and share moments with friends. We played a mix of mobile and PC games together.

The games themselves were secondary. The friendships, the late-night sessions, the yelling into a mic when a match got tight — that was the whole point.

My friends really enjoyed those times, and that was the main reason I played. We even started a YouTube channel called "UJGamer418" to share our sessions.

Playing games by myself never truly felt fun. In fact, trying to play alone — especially first-person titles — often led to nausea, headaches, and boredom.

It turns out I have motion sickness, and certain game movements would trigger it. My connection to gaming was mostly tied to the people I played with. Without friends on the other end, the same game felt like a chore.

That was an important realization: what's a relaxing hobby for many wasn't relaxing for me.

Over time, I learned to listen to what truly held my interest and what simply filled time. Gaming was a social outlet — the joy was in the people, not the activity itself.

My passion for creating art, making videos, and building digital tools was a much deeper, longer-lasting interest. So I chose to move gaming out of the center of my life and shut down the gaming channel.

Not because gaming is bad. Because my creative energy belonged somewhere else.

Friendship value: how much I value time and shared experiences with people I care about.

Self-awareness: what truly engages me vs. what just passes the time — and recognizing my motion sickness with certain games.

Making choices: picking activities that support my growth and well-being, instead of going along with what others do.