Game On

Even at my worst I’m feelin’ like I am the best

Juice WRLD- Big

Things here have gotten better. I’ve finally found a groove that works for me and for the last week or so it has really settled in. From the time I leave my bed in the morning till I return to it in the evening I try to spend my time effectively, productively, and not always too seriously. It seems I am finally getting a grip on this whole online learning thing, and with that comes a stronger confidence in myself. Confidence to work towards some of my other goals, goals like studying for the graduate school admissions tests like the GRE or the LSAT or preparing to apply for scholarships and fellowships, even health and wellness goals like ensuring daily exercise and skin care. I still spend my days intentionally interacting with my family, and I surprisingly haven’t grown tired of them yet (Let’s hope it stays that way).

Now, all of this schoolwork and studying and exercise isn’t done in one go. In fact, I often space these tasks out with small breaks where I may clean, read, or play video-games. Most often, it is the latter. Gaming has always held a special place in my heart, and while I was abroad I really didn’t get to play often. Naturally my skills declined drastically, and it has been a lot of fun re-building those skills. One game I have had a lot of fun playing is the battle royal, Apex Legends. While the game-play is exciting and fast paced, the aspect I love most about it is the team-based combat. In “the Arena”, the fictional coliseum where the battle takes place, teamwork really makes the dream work, and communication can make all the difference between victory and defeat.

What exactly does this video game have to do with your study abroad (albeit from home) experience? you may be asking. Well, dear reader, in the aforementioned communitcation element I mentioned earlier, I was able to revive a nearly dead skill of mine– Spanish conversation.

“Hola, hola… tiene audio o que?” I almost couldn’t believe it. Like many online multiplayer games, Apex has a chat function where players can communicate via microphone to each other. I was used to encountering other players with microphones, but rarely, if ever, would I encounter native Spanish speakers. “Hola?” the voice asked again. “Hola, estoy aqui.” I replied. Shortly after we loaded into the game, my mind started to connect two things I enjoy dearly, video games and the Spanish language. As the game went on, I realized that I was quickly translating words I use almost exclusively for the game, words like “shield/ el escudo” or “helmet/ el casco” or “syringe/ la jiringa” as if I used them in regular conversation. I could give instructions on positioning or directions to enemy hideouts. It was something I never really thought I would do consciously, game in Spanish, but it proved to be much easier, and far more fun than I ever could have imagined. Though we didn’t win, we were very far from victory, I’m sure after a few more practice runs, we’ll get our communication and teamwork ironed out, and we’ll conquer the arena. Ready to game on.