No More Video Games
Boom boom boom.
"On your left! Watch your damn left! OMG, you missed that headshot? Seriously?!"
"Maybe we should take a 15-minute break?"
"Forget it, let’s play another match…"
"Ugh, this is bullshit, I’m quitting. Byeee."
The Early Gamer Days
From a young age, I was a gamer. Probably a terrible gamer by today’s standards, but it was my escape. In fact, my two brothers and I were all gamers - so, maybe it’s in our genes. However, my older brother managed to quit gaming a few years ago, and I’ve always admired his willpower.
We started with games so simple they fit on floppy disks. Remember those? If not, you’re too young then.
Our first PC brought chaos: we had to take turns. It was like the DMV, where you take your ticket and wait for it to pop up on the screen, but with more arguing.
Enter the Internet
The PC changed the game, but the internet? Total revolution. Nowadays, internet access is a given. Back then, it was like gold. We had one or two hours a day, and unlimited access from midnight to 6 AM. So, my brother and I would wake up in the middle of the night to play video games just a little more.
First, he’d play for an hour or two, then wake me up, go to sleep, and I’d continue gaming. Sure, we missed sleep, but we grinded Lineage 2 and World of Warcraft like pros.
Who needs sleep anyway?
The internet pulled me deeper into gaming. Playing games like GTA San Andreas (also known as SA-MP), Lineage 2, and World of Warcraft with friends and/or brothers was pure joy.
Ohh, let me tell you about GTA San Andreas - I played on a RolePlay server for years, creating characters with real names, jobs, and lives. It was like having a second life, and I loved it, not even sure how I got out of it.
A Taste of Programming
My first encounter with programming actually came through video games. Playing GTA San Andreas on a poorly-scripted server led me to become the “scripter”.
I didn’t know the programming language, so I copied and pasted from other servers and tweaked the code until it worked. This trial-and-error approach ignited my interest in programming. Soon enough, I began building websites with PHP-Fusion, and that’s probably why I found my true calling in coding later in life as a front-end developer.
Discovering Graphic Design
In between gaming, my dad bought me my first copy of Photoshop, an application for retouching images, but you can also create whatever you think of - logos, websites, gifs, and much more.
At first, I thought it was a nonsense app and it wasn’t my kind of thing. However, soon I started creating logos and websites, enjoying design creation even more than gaming. I even had a website called PS-World, dedicated to teaching basic Photoshop skills.
The End of Gaming
When I moved to Vilnius, I didn’t have a PC, just a crappy laptop. So, I quit gaming. For four or five years, I was free!
Then, the pandemic hit.
I got a PC and started gaming again, at first with my brothers - Call of Duty Warzone, World of Warcraft. But gradually, our group fell apart.
New groups formed, and soon enough, I was back into gaming full-time. Somehow, League of Legends became my most played game.
Oh yeah, I bet you heard of that damnation game...
Why I Quit Gaming
I quit gaming around four months ago. Not sure if it’s forever, but I’m enjoying the break. At first, I aimed to relax for a month, but in that first month, many great things happened.
I found time for my older hobbies and discovered new interests that motivated me to continue my non-gaming journey.
How I Managed to Quit
The first step is to decide to quit - no half-hearted promises, even if it’s just for a month to test the waters.
To break the habit, I used a tactic from Atomic Habits by James Clear. I fully unplugged all the wires from my PC and put it out of sight and hard to reach. This made it a hassle to set up, helping me avoid the temptation of playing just one more match.
I admit though, I still occasionally play PlayStation with friends, but it’s extremely rare and only when we meet up in person, never online.
The Benefits of Quitting
Quitting gaming brought many benefits, including:
- Creating this blog.
- Starting a new programming project (Gameup).
- Redesigning and reprogramming my portfolio website.
- Reviving my strong interest in photography.
- Becoming more productive and content with where I am.
Overall, I have found more interest in activities that require more effort or are long-term goals. Of course, I can’t guarantee these are all non-gaming victories, but I believe that quitting gaming helped a lot; in many cases, it was the main pillar of my success.
Gaming isn’t inherently bad. For some, it’s a career or a harmless escape.
My story is personal, and quitting was the right choice for me. I’m merely sharing it, not saying you should do something about it. But, maybe your story matches in some way as mine and you’ll see the possible benefits of it. Just maybe.
Oh, and if you want a better life, at least quit League of Legends. That game is pure toxic.
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Thank you for making it this far. See ya!