5 Reasons Why I Love Playing Online Games

This global pandemic has really tested my mental strength to lengths that no matter how much I try to improvise, I still feel defeated at times. I have several proven ways to cope with stress brought about by not being able to go out as much during these challenging times and playing games online is one of them. I’ve always enjoyed playing games even before the pandemic but I only came to appreciate it more while on quarantine. In this blog, I’d be sharing with you five (5) reasons why I love playing online games which I hope would help change the way you perceive it as well as better understand the people who are into it.

—Prevents me from overthinking

If there is one thing I hate about myself, it is my being a chronic overthinker. I worry about everything from the most trivial down to every tiny detail. Perhaps, it’s because I care a lot and I pour so much heart into what I do that I worry about things not falling into place. It’s also probably because I never had anything handed to me on a silver platter. I have always had to work hard to achieve all the things I want that one or a couple of mishaps scares me of being taken back to when I have nothing or starting over from scratch. The only factor standing in the way between my worries and sanity is playing games which I most of the time stumble into online or while browsing apps on my phone.

Playing online games takes my mind off stuff that gets me so worked up and takes me to a world filled with feel-good vibes. It relaxes and calms my nerves. It works for me without fail that after a couple of hours playing, I feel so refreshed and rejuvenated and my mind is too. It’s like going on a reset that gets me ready to take on the world again.

—It makes a great pastime

Playing games hasn’t changed that much from when I was still a child and now that I’m all grown up. I mean I was most of the time in the streets with other kids in the neighborhood in the 90s, playing tag or watching them play their GameBoys until it was my turn. But I remember back then, every time I wasn’t allowed to play outside or watch anime on TV, I always resorted to playing poker cards to pass the time. I learned to play poker and tongits from a friend. She also taught me solitaire and even gave me their old playing card set so I can practice at home.

In the age of the internet, I no longer find it surprising to bump into solitaire and other card games online. What I find more interesting though is the way the game has evolved. I just discovered various ways to play solitaire at solitaire.org. Other than the classic, you can play it in a Freecell style where you get 4 free cells to temporarily store your cards in, or Spider where you create a royal flush on the tableau to remove the cards from the playing field. These two are among the popular choices but there are over 20 more ways to enjoy this game. I haven’t gone through all of them yet as I still enjoy it in classic mode. So whether you’re into RPGs or simple games such as solitaire, playing games online is still one of the best pastimes.

Along with Solitaire games, other classic card games such as Hearts are easily available to play online. The popular card game is played by swapping cards through a series of rounds, with the goal of having the least amount. Hearts and many other card games have become popular online because of their features, including multiplayer modes which allow you to make social connections.

—Keeps me from Online Shopping unnecessarily

I don’t know about you but when I’m bored or frustrated, I tend to browse through online shopping apps like Amazon, Lazada, & Shopee, and not long after, I get more frustrated to have another impulsive purchase. In these times when the world is at the mercy of a deadly virus, I can’t afford to be careless with my finances. One of the ways that helped me avert my attention from relentless online shopping is playing online games. When I’m frustrated with someone, I play Mobile Legends. When I miss the outdoors, I play Genshin Impact for its beautiful scenery. If I want to relax, I go for brick games and solitaire. I can go for hours until I’m all okay. It’s unproductive, perhaps, but I think it’s better to kill time this way than to spend away my hard-earned money.

—One of the best ways to meet new people

Traveling is where I met the coolest people I know but I never thought I could meet good folks while playing online games too. Don’t be judgy now but I met my partner of two years while playing Mobile Legends. I don’t play to date so I hate it when guys hit on me, that I don’t usually respond to their messages. My partner, however, is a different story. We were not interested in each other in any way but we made a great team. So after 20 win streaks, I finally responded to his messages which, by the way, were also about other games I’m interested in then the rest is history.

I find it silly at times but I actually enjoy being friends with people I may or may not get to meet in person in the future. Simply exchanging our thoughts about the game and sharing the same love for it is the kind of connection much deeper than anything I had with some people I’m surrounded with. To others, it may just be a game but to some of us, it’s our only refuge where we’re embraced by like-minded people.

—Stimulates my creativity

I get burnt out from time to time and this leads to unproductive days at work or a lack of enthusiasm for my passions. Before the pandemic, I usually just go on trips to unwind and to look for inspiration. Now that going on trips is difficult, I resort to playing online games to calm my nerves and encourage myself to be creative. I didn’t pay attention to it at first but I noticed that I was more capable of coming up with amazing ideas after playing games for hours.

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There you have it, lovelies. Believe it or not, I tried to steer clear of playing online games before because of how easily I can get addicted to them and tend to neglect important stuff over it. Now that I learned to utilize it to my advantage, it’s actually pretty useful. I hope this post makes you see online gaming in a different light. Until next time. Ciao!