I’ll never forget about this motivational speaker they invited to my high school back in the early 2010s. His name is Jeff Yalden. He was very eccentric, moving, and hilarious, and he reminded me a lot of Matt Foley in that one SNL sketch. Except, instead of telling us we’d…
Video games are becoming more prevalent in daily life due to being one of few available sources of entertainment and regular social interaction in Pandemicland. A more diverse audience is tapping into the community than ever before. As gaming has become, dare I say, “mainstream,” many are realizing the inherent…
As a member of a South Philly Italian household, food was the centerpiece of my familial experience. We love nothing more than to share a chat over delicious foods, pass down ancient family recipes, and ensure that no one leaves a gathering hungry (or without copious amounts of leftovers). As…
Author’s Note: With gamer health and wellness at the forefront of my passion, the next two pieces in my More Than Meets the Eye series will revolve around the physical, mental, and social impacts of my extreme gaming habits and the changes I made throughout the years to overcome some…
The desire and ability for the individual to create and share content grew exponentially with the introduction of YouTube in 2006. Early “streamers” debuted regular pre-recorded episodes of things as simple as game walk-throughs or “Top #10 Plays” compilations. These were always fun to watch, especially with text overlays or…
After playing World of Warcraft for the first time at 13, I realized that voice communication was going to be a helpful tool for completing quests, socializing with other players, and adding a whole new dimension to the game. It wasn’t easy convincing my parents to purchase a headset. Heck,…
Author’s Note: Hey there! Welcome to the first post in my More Than Meets the Eye (MTME) series. MTME is a collection of personal narratives surrounding the topics of mental, physical, and emotional health in gaming from my unique perspective. I hope to inspire other gamers to take charge of…
