Reflection in real life

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Video games were my obsession in my teenage years. Spending an unhealthy amount of hours cooped up in my room used to be the daily schedule. Every waking hour I had, I found myself wanting to only spend it on gaming and nothing more. Soon after, as the addiction grew stronger, my grades started to take a hit. Gaming started to take priority over everything, I would skip revision and even gatherings with friends just so I could get my fix.

I wouldn’t say it was the immersiveness or the beautiful graphics that kept me reeled in, rather it was my level of competitiveness that constantly spurred me on. Being better at the game than my peers and wanting to achieve the highest level of play was my main motivation throughout those years. What I failed to notice was my lacking in other aspects of my life that truly mattered.

It was during the preliminary exams prior to “O” levels that gave me my wake up call. The results I received was only short of a few grades to tie for the lowest in the entire cohort. It was during the nights of my last minute studying that made me reflect and realize how much time I have whittled away. The few weeks between my preliminaries and the national exam was simply far too little time for me to catch up. No greater dissatisfaction in life is knowing that you did not live up to your full potential.

Video gaming is now an insignificant part of my life. The picking up of sporting activities has allowed me to channel my competitiveness to a healthier and more productive hobby. Looking back, this has been a valuable lesson as it has not only made me learn more about prioritizing the important things in life, but what I truly want and need for myself.

-Nicholas


Edited: 3 December 2018

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