Gaming Dark Ages

Many who know me know that I like to play video games (if it wasn't already apparent by this blog). I've been playing video games since I was about 4 years old. We had a Commodore 64 and an Atari 2600 at the time. I see so many other kids getting into gaming at that young age nowadays. What I'm not seeing is kids taking a break from gaming as they get older. While I do enjoy video games and think anyone can enjoy them, I still feel that kids growing up need to have a break from gaming, to have their gaming life go into a sort of Dark Ages. When I meet people who took a break from gaming and those who didn't, the difference is very apparent. I went through my own kind of Dark Ages of Gaming.

As I said, I've been playing games since before I started school. I played on the Commodore 64, Atari 2600, the NES, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and PC either at home or at friends' houses. As I got older and moved out of elementary school into junior high, I kind of weened myself off of gaming. Sure, I still played the occasional PC game, but for the most part I stopped gaming and started participating in other social activities. I played basketball, performed in theater, did scouting and various other activities. When I moved back to the U.S. I participated in football and track & field in addition to basketball. I dated and hung out with friends. In general, I had a social life that was not the online variety. I didn't really get back into gaming until my junior year in college when I was studying computer science. Whether it is your own decision or parents prodding, taking a break from gaming during adolescence, I feel, is good for any kid growing up. Sure, video games are fun, but they shouldn't prevent you from experiencing life. So, I write this in hopes that all those who read it will evaluate whether or not gaming is preventing them from experiencing other key elements of life, and if so, decide to set gaming aside. After all, you can always pick it up again later...