Life Lessons Learned From Video Games

Let's face it: Video games are here to stay. What started out as a dorky pastime has turned into a huge part of American life. According to the ESRB, 67% of American households play video games! To many parents, teachers, and other leaders, the growing number of kids playing video games has been cause for concern over what the games might be teaching the youth of their country. Violence? Sexism? Racism? Drug and alcohol use?

Not all lessons learned from video games are bad, however! Here are some life lessons that playing video games has taught me.

Some things are just too big to handle all by yourself. In video games, this would usually mean begging a friend to come be your Player 2 or finding a decently smart character in the game to assist you. In real life, the help usually comes from our family and friends, those people who would not have a second thought about running out to pick you up at 4 a.m. because you forgot your parents' house key back at your dorm room on the other side of the country. It is okay to ask for help when it is needed. Even the best and brightest need assistance sometimes!

In most video games, each character has his or her own unique skills that prove useful in different situations. You would not try to send your Buick wearing knight to sneak around and spy on the enemy, would you? Just as in games, each person is different, and it takes all kinds of people to make the world move forward. If we did not have people whose life calling was corn, there we be no sweet sweet corn on the cob in the summer. If we did not have people who were obsessed with cars, who would fix them? Everyone is important, even if (especially if!) their skills are a little bit...different.

On that thought, do not think to know someone's skills just by looking at them! In a video game, this is a little more obvious. I do not know of any times that a slightly creepy business man turned into a giant zombie-blob of never ending horror outside of a game, but it's still an important lesson. Do not think that, just because someone is small, they cannot do a good job. Do not assume that the blonde in the name-brand shirt cannot outsmart anyone. People will surprise you.

This was one of the biggest lessons I learned from video games. Sometimes, it's hard to tell what is coming up (unless you buy strategy guides, in which case, go sit in the corner and think about what you have done!). Being prepared can be the difference between nerdrage and triumph. If I thought there was a boss battle coming up, I would go through my mental checklist. Game saved? Yep. Do I have the items I need? Yep. Game saved? Doublecheck.

Life can be even more unpredictable, hence the saying "hope for the best, plan for the worst". Preparation can be anything from keeping a spare tire in the trunk of the car, to having some food and water stored up, to having an extra shirt (if you're anything like me, and food and drinks seem to have some sort of gravitational pull to your shirt, this is a MUST). Having a back-ups, copies, and extra supplies can, literally, be a lifesaver!

When I played a lot of games, I was the kind of person that walked around the walls of every room, tapping the X button, hoping to hit a hidden chest full of goodies. I was the kind of person that talked to everyone in a town, just to see if they had anything helpful for me. Now, as I apply this to life, I have realized that there are opportunities everywhere, just waiting to be found. Chance meetings can turn into a career. A simple note can turn into a meaningful relationship. Sometimes, the best opportunities are where we'd least expect them to be.

It is very rare that someone flies through a game (at least a good one) without having failed at least once. While playing games, I would sometimes get stuck on the same fight for days before finally figuring out how to move on. This learning experience taught me about hard work. Working hard once does not guarantee success. Working hard, failing, and trying again does not usually work either. Working hard, failing, going back, figuring out what you did wrong, trying again, and repeating the process until you finally overcome the obstacle is more like it. When that obstacle is shattered before your mighty skills, then the triumph sets in. With arms raised, eyes angled towards the heavens, and an uncontrollable shout of victory, you have conquered the opposition (or test, or business report, or whatever it is that opposes you).

**(WARNING: In some environments and situations, victory shouts or dances are not tolerated, in which case, please wait until you are away from that environment or situation to celebrate. Your car, a bathroom stall, or under your desk may be acceptable alternatives. DO celebrate however, you have earned it!)**

I learned this one the hard way: If people are trying to say something, listen! Not everything that someone says is going to be relevant. In fact, sometimes it can be annoying when you are trying to figure something out or work on something (I cannot even read the title of this section without hearing it in Navi's voice) but, mixed in with stories about nonsense, there is usually helpful information, and if that information is ignored, it's likely to make life a lot harder. Even what sounds like nonsense can be beneficial in getting to know and understand someone. So, unless the voice is coming from a pixellated incarnation of rage-inducing persistence, listen!

There is something that we, as gamers, need to understand: yelling at the television will not make our characters jump higher, cast quicker, run faster, or do anything else. Yelling is useless. Our characters cannot hear you. I was a yeller for many years, myself. It never occurred to me that yelling did not actually solve any problems in the game until I was watching someone else play, they yelled at the screen, and I pointed out how useless it was.

Outside of video games, people CAN hear you yell, and it is almost as useless. Yelling does nothing but make everyone around think the yeller is a.) unreasonable b.) attention-seeking or c.) in desperate need of a rageahol intervention. A lot more gets accomplished when the brain isn't focused on supplying enough oxygen to the lungs to fuel the rant.

Of course, there are acceptable situations in which yelling is a necessity. These situations include, but are not limited to: Chiefs football games, Cubs baseball games, golf courses, and if someone has fallen and cannot get up.

At first, this would seem to fall under the "always be prepared" category, but I thought it important enough to give it its own shiny section. In a game, making the right decision can be the difference between the "good" ending (Everyone is saved and lives happily ever after) and the "bad" ending (Oh the horror! Everyone was destroyed by a brain eating Godzillahydranasaurus Rex!). Sure, in game, you can just make a save point and go back to it if you find out that you are headed down the wrong path, but no one admits to actually doing that and so it never happens.

In life, making the right decisions can mean a whole lot more. More than a monster of doom eating everyone in a kingdom (that's a lot). Carefully thinking out important decisions can save a lot of heartache and headaches in the future. If a decision is reached in 0.01 seconds, it's still wise to give it some time. If it truly is the right decision, it will still be right in a few days.

**(NOTE: This applies mostly to decisions that can be categorized as "important" on the decision relevance scale. I am not trying to imply that choosing which socks to wear to school should be put off while all alternatives are carefully weighed.)**

You never know when you might need someone. Whether the person is that one character that you ignored for the whole game up until the fight that required her to be in your party, or the person is an old boss who might give you a good reference, burning bridges can lead to regret. Keep in touch with people that are good influences, even if that means just sending a card for the holidays or an e-mail once in a while. That way, if you ever need their assistance, they might be better suited to help.

While the research is still ongoing as to the negative effects of video games, I, for one, can say that I have learned some pretty helpful lessons from them. While I'm sure it is possible to have learned these lessons elsewhere, I do not think I could find a more fun way to do it!