My Gaming Life: Fun, Friendship, and Moving On
Gaming for me was always about connection. It was less about the games themselves and more about the time spent with friends. This page shares my experiences with video games, the specific titles I played, and why it became something I moved away from as a core hobby.
Playing with Friends: The Social Side of Games
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 variety of mobile and PC games together.
Some of the games we often played include:
- Mobile Games: Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, Subway Surfers
- PC Games: Call of Duty (COD), IGI, Grand Theft Auto (GTA) titles like San Andreas, Need for Speed, Assassin’s Creed, and Tekken.
My friends really enjoyed these times, and that was the main reason I played. We even started a YouTube channel called “UJGamer418” so we could share our gaming sessions and experiences.
A Different Experience: Gaming Alone
Here’s where my gaming experience was a bit different. While I enjoyed the social aspect of playing with friends, playing games by myself never truly felt fun. In fact, trying to play games alone, especially first-person view games, often led to feelings of nausea, headaches, and boredom. It turns out, I have motion sickness, and certain game movements would trigger these uncomfortable feelings.
This meant that my connection to gaming was mostly tied to the people I played with. The games themselves, when played without friends, didn’t hold my interest. This was an important realization: what might be a relaxing hobby for many was often a chore for me if I was on my own.
The Shift: Understanding What Matters
As time went on, I learned to listen to what truly held my interest and what simply filled time. While gaming offered a social outlet, the joy wasn’t in the activity itself for me. I saw that my passion for creating art, making videos, and building digital tools was a much deeper, more lasting interest.
Because of this, I decided to move away from making gaming a central part of my life, including stopping the gaming channel. It was a clear choice to put my time and energy into pursuits that brought me genuine excitement and personal growth. This wasn’t about saying gaming was bad; it was about understanding my own needs and where my creative energy truly belonged.
Lessons Learned from My Gaming Days
Even though gaming wasn’t a lifelong passion, it offered useful insights:
- Friendship Value: It showed me how much I value spending time and sharing experiences with people I care about.
- Self-Awareness: I learned what truly engages me versus what just passes the time. Recognizing my motion sickness with certain games was also a key insight.
- Making Choices: It taught me the importance of choosing activities that truly support my well-being and growth, rather than just going along with what others do.
My time with gaming was a clear example of how experiences, even those that don’t become lifelong hobbies, can teach you important lessons about yourself and how to best use your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What games did you play?
I played a mix of mobile and PC games, including Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, Subway Surfers, Call of Duty, IGI, Grand Theft Auto (like San Andreas), Need for Speed, Assassin’s Creed, and Tekken.
Did you enjoy playing games alone?
No, I did not. Playing games alone, especially those with certain movements, often made me feel nauseous, gave me headaches, and felt boring due to motion sickness.
Why did you start a gaming YouTube channel if you didn't always enjoy playing?
I started the channel, “UJGamer418,” because my friends encouraged me. It was primarily a way for us to enjoy moments together and share our experiences.
What made you decide to stop focusing on gaming?
I realized that the joy came from playing with friends, not the games themselves. When playing alone felt uncomfortable, and my other creative pursuits offered deeper satisfaction, I chose to focus my energy there.
What did your gaming experiences teach you?
It taught me the value of friendship, the importance of self-awareness about what truly engages me, and how to make choices about where to spend my time for personal well-being and growth.