Howdy y'all!

[bassitone]

(Obligatory Texan greeting is obligatory)

Well, here goes nothing.

 

Name's Charles, I'm 24 and live in the great state of Texas.  Been gaming ever since I was...probably 6 or 7, maybe earlier?  Honestly so far back I can't remember much of a time without it.  Played a lot as a kid, but I like to think I had things more or less under control growing up - parents were good at keeping me in line - but as soon as I got out into the "real world" after college, it kind of took over my life.  Didn't really notice how bad it had gotten until a couple close brushes with failure in grad school last spring.  Tried this whole thing back then and made it a couple months, somehow, but then eventually relapsed hard over the summer.  Cue this midterm season: another close brush with failing my classes (tough midterms that I'm still not sure how I passed, let alone got a B on) and here I am again.  Been posting my journals over on Reddit just because I've been on there for what feels like an eternity in internet time, but Cam made a point of inviting me over here, so why not?  Think my journal entries from last time are still kicking around over there somewhere, plus what I have been able to do this time around.

World of Warcraft, Skyrim, DotA, you name it I've probably sunken hundreds of hours into it over the years.  Looking back, what could I have accomplished with that time spent otherwise?  I seem to be a master of hiding the true extent of the problem from all but myself (and the internet, it seems!), to where on the surface, what sort of problem is there?  I'm no more or less successful than the average 20 something, have a degree and a decent GPA from a top university, and generally seem like just an ordinary guy.  What has been constantly eating at me since the realization that I was, as I put it on Reddit last night, an extra or an onlooker in my own life is that I have wasted so much potential.  Looking at social media, people I graduated with seem to be doing things that blow my mind regularly.  Looking at that, there's no reason in my mind I shouldn't be right there with them, and yet I've been more or less adrift since graduating.  I don't know how I'll change myself, but what I do know is that school has always been a strong suit when I really put my mind to it.  I firmly believe that we all can learn something from each other, and so in that vein I will be looking to y'all for whatever advice I might need on this path.  Hopefully I'll be able to help you guys out as well, in time.  With that said...

Class is in Session.

[AlexTheGrape]

Hi bassitone! Glad you joined the community.

We're proud you've decided to move on from gaming, I'm sure in time you shall reap rewards.

According to other community members, I gave some great advice here: http://forum.gamequitters.com/topic/287-greetings-from-a-first-timer/#comment-2735

Good luck with quitting!

[kortheo]

Hey bassitone, welcome. I've been here for a bit over a month now and in that time alone I have seen great change. It's kind of crazy what can happen if you commit to it and just show up. There is a lot more depth to life that comes after quitting games than I would have expected. Best of all, you're right, we can definitely learn from each other and help improve each other here. We are all stronger the more of us that join :). Good luck to you.

[Cam Adair]

Great to have you join us here!

[Tom]

Howdy you too

Good luck with your first steps. Looking forward to reading your journal. 

[Octsober]

Bassitone welcome and Howdy! 

In retrospect, those people around you that are doing all these crazy things are great motivators!  
I've got a friend who went to Japan to teach english for a year - I'm totally going to visit her next year at some point!

Welcome to the group!