Growing up, my dad and I would call video game players “Static Brains.” Brutal bullying and nauseating first-person viewpoints are two reasons among many that I do not play video games.
However, throughout my life, I have dealt with my fair share of “Static Brains”. To this day, I still hate the idea of submerging myself into that negative, toxic environment, but my current relationship has shown me ways video games can help strengthen a relationship—even if I am not playing.
In honor of National Video Games Day on September 12, I am going to share with you—my dedicated readers—five ways in which video games have helped to strengthen my relationship.
1. Alone Time/Personal Space
The first one is the reason most significant others get upset. If one person in the relationship spends a ridiculous amount of time on video games without paying any attention to the significant other, then I understand why some people would get upset. But alone time and personal space are extremely helpful in maintaining a healthy relationship. When he puts his headphones on and adjusts his microphone in front of his mouth, I know it means he is inaudibly asking for alone time. This is when I decide to do my own thing such as homework (which, thanks to my professors, is never in short supply), reading, or journaling. At the end of the day, literally and figuratively, we decompress in different ways. Letting him decompress and recharge his social battery will benefit not only him but me as well, especially since I use this time to do the same thing with an entirely different activity.
2. Connect with Friends
One reason I don’t like the video game community is that they are particularly brutal with their bullying. To put it simply, I am an extremely sensitive person. The one and only time I played Call of Duty, I cried. Meanwhile, my boyfriend loves this environment. When he hops on his Playstation, he and his friends are able to have fun. Through sarcastic comments and inappropriate innuendos, they are able to connect despite their geographical location. By him venting about his problems and joking with friends, he is able to maintain positive mental health which ultimately strengthens our relationship.
3. Agility and Quick Thinking
Okay, so maybe this one is a stretch, but hear me out. Not only am I extremely sensitive, but I am also extremely clumsy. Countless times, I have bumped a glass or tripped on air and my boyfriend always manages to heroically catch everything. I attribute this to his brain being trained via video games to think quickly and act fast. After all, he is usually the one leading his team to victory, both in the game and in our relationship.
4. Quality Time
Remember how I said my boyfriend’s inaudible sign of requesting personal space was the placement of his headphones? Well, while headphones on equate a request for personal space, headphones unplugged and audio coming from the speakers is an open invitation to come watch him. Usually, when my boyfriend wants me to watch him or sit by him while he plays, he pulls a chair over to his gaming desk or, like I said, plays the audio so I can hear. I consider this quality time because I become his little cheerleader, and he smiles every time I cheer. For example, I love when he plays “Splitgate”. If he opens a portal and executes a headshot, I go berserk. Or if he is stalking a VIP, trying to get a clear shot, and finally takes him out, I am whispering, chanting, and screaming the whole time. Every second of it, he is smiling and laughing, or he even occasionally leans over to give me a celebratory kiss—this is my favorite reaction. This may possibly be one of my favorite ways to spend quality time together as well because we are both entertained, and we are able to connect.
5. Linked Love
This point is truly simple. He loves video games, I love him. Thus, I love video games. Never in my life did I think I would utter—or type—the phrase: “I love video games,” but here I am. Exploring and loving your partner’s interests, as long as they are healthy and do not put anyone in danger, is an important part of maintaining a healthy relationship.
The next time your partner plays video games, try to refrain from getting mad. We all have our own interests, and the sooner you accept and try to make the best of your partner’s interests, the more likely your relationship is to last.
After all, unlike video games, relationships aren’t revivable. So if you want to make your relationship last forever, find a way to meet in the middle.