Life Lessons Learned While Gaming. Learn about my unique gaming journey and how it has effected my life

My introduction into the world of gaming started when I was quite young. I still remember the days before video games, living in Bangladesh where my primary gaming option was board games (Monopoly, Ludo, Chess) with family. Unlike many people growing up in the western world, the first time I even played a digital game was in my early teens when my cousin finally got a computer. Computer gaming was a euphoric foreign experience that was life-changing for me. The first game I remember playing was Twinkle Star Sprites. This exciting scrolling shooter game had such an impact on my life that I still consider it to be my favorite PC game of all-time. After that, I moved on to more arcade based PC games such as Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, and Pacman. All of which were my first experiences with these titles, as actual arcades didn’t exist in Bangladesh at the time.

When I moved to the United States in 2002 I didn’t have much time to game. The adjustments to a new country where plentiful and being in a new environment and culture completely threw me out of my comfort zone. Not only was I adjusting to a new school and surroundings, I also started working for the first time. However, my love for gaming didn’t go away and after getting used to the countries’ cultural norms, I once again reconnected with my love and joined a board gaming group in high school.

Shortly afterwards, I played a console for the first time at a friend’s house.  It was a moment I’ll never forget. The game was Assassin’s Creed on Xbox. Even though I was having a difficult time controlling my character, the process was still unbelievably entertaining, so much so, that I decided to buy my own Xbox that week.

Lesson's learned playing Assassin's Creed

After that day, there was no turning back. I knew that gaming would be in my life forever, Come to think about it, gaming has meant so much to my growth and connections to others since I’ve been in the states, giving me a chance to bond with friends and find a peer group.

Why We Game

Why do we game is the question many want to know and the answer is more complex than you think

Recently, I have come to realize that gaming has a different meaning for everyone. For some it’s a beautiful art form with moving pictures which paint a thousand words across their screens, for others, gaming is a relaxing technique, not unlike yoga or exercising, while some game to help them cope with the strains, demands, and frustrations of everyday life.

For me, gaming has been a wonderful form of meditation, not to mention it allows me to show my appreciation for the artwork and the programming that have shaped my life so profoundly. I always think about the teams of countless people working behind the scenes to create these wonderful characters and products that have defined generations, gently taking them under their ever jolly animated wings, providing companionship and camaraderie that is sometimes lacking in the real world.

Gaming has been a wonderful medium of expression, helping me adjust and adapt to life’s different stages. Teaching me so much about what we as a society value, find entertaining, and how we bond. The life lessons learned while gaming are countless. I still have much to explore and my gaming journey is far from over, yet, something tells me that expressing myself via video games will be a continued theme throughout my life, one in which I’m excited to uncover.

Guest Blog by BLCKRBT24

https://www.gamerwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Life-Lessons-Learned-While-Gaming-by-Gamer-Women-in-America.pnghttps://www.gamerwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Life-Lessons-Learned-While-Gaming-by-Gamer-Women-in-America-150x150.pngFeaturedfemale gamers,Game for girls,gamer girl,Gaming in America,Gaming in Bangladesh,gaming in the United states,I am a gamer,life as a gamer,life lessons,video game history,Why I game,Why people gameMy introduction into the world of gaming started when I was quite young. I still remember the days before video games, living in Bangladesh where my primary gaming option was board games (Monopoly, Ludo, Chess) with family. Unlike many people growing up in the western world, the first time...Where Women & Gaming Unite