Video games have been a part of my life for the longest time, from elementary school to now in college. I know for some people, it serves similar purposes! Here are a few reasons why video games are a part of my life and others:

It's a good social outlet!

In case I can't go out with friends, or I'm too tired to do anything else, I usually sit back and play my games with some online friends. I play with people from all over the United States, one Winthrop student, and two people from Canada. It's also a great way I can spend time with my boyfriend who lives in Chicago!

It's an interesting media to consume!

The interactive experience is what hits me the most with the games I play. I can be engaged in the action or solve puzzles, I can probably invest in the story (like if I was reading a book or watching a TV show), or I can indulge with some friends! Depending on which game you play, there can be really neat narratives like what you see in books, TV shows and movies.

The nostalgia factor!

As I said earlier, I've been playing video games for as long as I could remember. My first game (that I can remember) was a Rugrats Angelica game for the PC! My older brother watched me when I was younger, and he played video games all the time, so I would watch him and his friends have fun until I started playing my gateway game Pokemon Emerald for the Gameboy Advance SP! I was sold forever for anything I could get my hands on, and now most of my associates and friends know me for being either a big nerd or a gamer!

Video games affect a variety of people, whether they were younger or older, whether it was a Nintendo 64 and a mobile game like Candy Crush or Angry Birds, it touches a lot of people's lives.