Video games, more often than not, are grossly misrepresented: people tend to think that they’re ‘just’ games; that they’re generally a ‘waste of time’. Gamers themselves have been cruelly prejudged by society to be reclusive, socially awkward people who would much rather sit around at home in front of a TV screen or a computer monitor than to go out and ‘be productive’, so to speak.
However, it’s not as simple as that. The gaming community is full of people from all walks of life and all sorts of personalities, just like other groups. And as gamers ourselves, we’ve experienced so many moments in gaming that are actually applicable in real life. Video games are so much more than just pretty graphics and shallow stories—they can be mediums that convey numerous uplifting messages, just like the ones we’re going to list in this article.
- The daily grind is necessary if you want to level up.
There might be some quick methods to max out your character’s stats, but there’s no way to instantly go from 1 to 100. If you want to be at the top of scoreboards, you have to work at it. Read some guides, ask other players, and try new things. It’s the same concept for anything you want to be good at—it always takes time and effort. Whether it’s in the arcade or the classroom, make sure you learn from the veterans, such as teachers or friends who have previously taken the same class as you.
- In a pinch? There’s always a fellow player ready to help…
No matter how good you are, if you’re alone against five people, the odds won’t be on your side. You need people who will have your back when spells or bullets start flying in every direction. Listen to other groupmates’ ideas and be a part of the strategy. Once a round starts, it won’t be about which side has the best player, but which side has the more coordinated team. And when things don’t go as planned, don’t start trashing each other through meaningless verbal assaults. Sometimes, you have to let someone else take the lead, and you might be surprised; you might learn some new tricks or strategies that you never would have thought of on your own.
- …but you should know how to deal killing blows too!
It’s a team game, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive to end the game with the most kills. Work with your team, but don’t be afraid to make some calls. Listen to others but give your own feedback. Make decisions when you have to, and expect the same respect from your teammates that you would give them. There will be group works and projects where you have to take the initiative and lead the team if it seems like no one else can step up to it. After all, what could be better than both winning the game and topping the scoreboard?
- Lost a life? There’s always that last checkpoint!
You may, at some point in your college life, encounter that boss who seems to effortlessly beat your hide into that Game Over screen. But just because the screen says so, it doesn’t mean it’s actually over. Failure is not the end of everything: whether it’s a quiz, an exam, or even an entire subject, it doesn’t make you, as a person, a total failure. Sure, there may be delays and extra effort involved, but this time you’ll know better. You’ll know exactly where to improve, and each succeeding attempt will definitely be more successful than the last.
- At the end, it will all be worth it.
There are times when the daily grind (refer to #1) can get to you. You’ll find yourself wondering, “What on earth am I doing all this for?” most especially when things don’t seem to be progressing at the pace you desire. Then there’s also that urge to just toss your controller aside and rage-quit at whichever difficult point you’re currently facing. But if you just soldier on, all the while accumulating more experience points (make the most out of your learning experience in school), you’ll be prepared to face all your bosses (professors), and get to that ending cutscene you’ve been waiting to see (graduation!). Once you’re there, you’ll realize that it wasn’t the destination, but the journey, that mattered all along… and that it was all worth your while.
Video games have made players a unique group of people who can learn, strategize, help out, and share ideas. It just goes to show that games—much like books and movies—have a lot to teach us, as long as you take the time to look.
