OMFG HALL OF FAME MINECRAFT! 11/10

The first time I watched "Ready Player One" was with my Dad and my sisters a few months after it came out in 2018. I initially prepared myself to not like the movie because I was against virtual reality and most video games as its presence in my life reminded me of "nerds" or "weirdos". However, after watching the movie, I loved it; and I wholeheartedly admitted that I loved it. Rewatching "Ready Player One" for the second time in class made me realize the beauty of video games and how they allow you to escape the harshness that is reality. Although I had a close-minded, negative outlook on most "gamers",  I have always had a fixation on Minecraft. Minecraft, for me, has been the ultimate stress reliever and, simply, the best way to pass time. Minecraft was a way for my friends and I to get together, play, and make memories while having fun for hours on end. It was so amazing to be able to play Minecraft and share my love for it with my group members. I haven't played Minecraft in a while prior to this assignment, but it made me realize how much a mere sandbox video game has done for me. Minecraft got me through the COVID-19 pandemic, and for that, I am eternally grateful. I made many online friends who I'd play with in addition to my home-town friends; the dynamic being so innocent to that of real-life friendships in modern-day.  It was extremely special being able to introduce Abbie and Karson to them, and we even made a new friend along the way. From simply watching "Ready Player One", I was able to put myself in other people's shoes on the basis of virtual reality versus real life, and the differences between those who dedicate their lives to video games, and the people who struggle with the materialities of the world. With that, I now understand and appreciate the art of gaming.