The year the Switch came out I was lost. My second year into college I had already switched majors nearly flunking when I realized I understood nothing of coding and had to switch majors. I ended up switching to media and communications, a major that as far as I could tell could sharpen my writing skills as a whole, give me that insider look on TV and reporting in general, and that was a whole not easier than coding.
I didn’t go into Media and Communications with a plan. I was told I could be undecided in my major till my 2 year at the latest, as the anxious person I am, being undecided sounded worse than not just choosing a major. I was also in a panic. The summer before I sat down with my mother to plan out college tuition and was stunned. I couldn’t be undecided if we were paying all this money and I would be paying it back for even longer after I graduated. So with the encouragement of some friends and having nothing to lose I switched to media and communications.
It was honestly the best thing I could of done. It didn’t suddenly make me a social person, but it made it helped me to improve and even imagine a future where I wouldn’t be so scared of something like talking to new people. But I wasn’t finding answers for what I wanted to do. The only reason I think I didn’t go into a depression right there and then is that I pushed it down so often it worked for a while, and my amazing friends. But it would always bubble back up.
While this was happening I was discovering what many believed to be there life after college. I can’t tell you the number of times people told me I wouldn’t have time for things like video games when I was working or that I didn’t come to that conclusion myself. I went through plans in my head trying to plan out when I could sit down and plan games between work once I graduated but of course it didn’t work.
The thought of giving up video games depressed me. Video games had led me to so many things so many people that I loved I couldn’t imagine it not being a part of my life forever. And it scared me. Video games weren’t my whole identity but they were a part of it and to lose that wasn’t something I was prepared for. But I also couldn’t see myself someone working out the time to sit in front of a TV to play games. Especially when other hobbies had already made the jump to a portable option. Things like comics, books, movies, and shows could all be watched on a smartphone at any point throughout the day. It was so easy to start watching it reading in one place and continue in another. It was even easier to watch a YouTube video something that has essentially become my TV to watch a quick video.
Of course things like the 3ds already existed but with the limited power and it being 6 years old at that point I was sure it was reaching the end of its life cycle. But then Nintendo started teasing the NX.
Between high school and college I had seen a lot of concepts and leaks for this console. The Wii U wasn’t doing well and if Nintendo tried to push it for a few more years they could go under. So when Nintendo themselves finally started teasing it I got excited.
A console I won’t have time to play but I was definitely going to put the money down I ping ponged between trying to decide if it was worth it or not. If I couldn’t see myself having that much time to use a console, did it make sense to buy it especially when it would most likely be over $200-300. But these thoughts did nothing to quell my excitement.
The day of the reveal I gathered in my room with two other friends and waited for it to start. I was excited albeit nervous for what Nintendo would show. And what they did show shocked me.
A fully portable console that was also a home console. Of course being Nintendo it was still underpowered from the recent console but that didn’t matter to me. A console you can carry around. I watched in awe and excitement as game after game was announced for it. My jaw dropped at the price. And my friends and I screamed at what is considered the best Zelda game ever released.
I’m sure this isn’t a surprising story for many especially people who are already further in the adult world and don’t have time to sit down a play games. But even if it isn’t the Nintendo Switch has been my favorite little console.
I was amazed and thrilled by the number of Youtubers who found an amazing start with the Switch. With the positive reception as a whole the Switch got. And while it took my a year to get it, since that day a day hasn’t gone by that I’ve played it. I don’t know if this was a real concern. Gaming has been such a big part of my life that I’m not sure I would of actually given it up. But I’m happy the Switch came along to stop those doubts. And hey it even helped me find what I wanted to do: write about video games
Kamec's game corner 