Do Gamers get a bad rep?

I am now entering my late teens and am being told to 'grow up'. A word which will not become apparent to me until I have grey hair and wrinkles no longer occur from long sessions in the bath. In all seriousness, I hate the words 'grow up', especially if it comes from those who are in the same age group as myself. I believe i will be gaming in my late 60's with the Xbox 1260 or whatever monstrosity comes throughout my life span. Everyone will have to just deal with that fact.

"Myself aged 60".

Okay so maybe I'm over exaggerating on the subject, or maybe I'm not? I'm not the first to touch on this subject and trust me, I won't be the last. 

The word is a judgmental place and lets be honest, it probably wont change anytime soon. We're judgmental people and that's who we always will be. But that's who we are right? It's in our nature and is most definitely a survival instinct. You know what I mean right? Have you ever mentioned to a person "Oooh, I like to play games in my spare time", you generally get one of few responses:

Response A: "Pfft, nerd"

Response B: "Wow, have you not anything better to do with your life"

Response C; "Awesome dude, me too! What's your favorite game"

Personally, example C is where my friends lay. I don't have the time for irrational people who base their judgement on little to nothing about a person.

I may have to pick one of these up!

I'm about to turn 17 and I have a very balanced lifestyle between social life and my gaming life. I spend time with my friends and work out at the gym. Not all Gamers are fat you know! Not to mention the time I put in for my YouTube channel which, if anything, further develops my social skills, well, if you count talking to a microphone social, I feel much more confident than when I began making videos. However, the average person's view of a gamer is a person who sits in their parent's basement, covered in Mountain Dew with little to no light exposure. Now, I'm no vampire you hear! 

Now to me, gaming is a hobby that I inhabited in my early days of being able to hold a controller. My parent's bought me consoles that started at a Nintendo 64 up to the ever so incredible PS1 eventually climbing the models to where I am now. To be honest, I could never of asked for a better childhood, and in some cases I count myself lucky. Some of my friends were not so lucky with their childhoods and I feel forever sorry for them. Gaming to me is being able to sit on my couch, relax, forget the world and play games with the people I call friends. That to me is the definition of gaming. 

Generally how my gaming nights go with copious amounts of alcohol!

And hey! Those who don't play games will never experience what we get to experience. There is always that one game in which a person has fully connected to and will keep in their heart til the day they die. For me, that game is Final Fantasy X, an old PS2 classic that introduced me into the world of RPG's. That game was such a benevolent joy to play. Never before had I ever cried at the ending of a game before. Final Fantasy X and I connected perfectly, and if you have never gave the game a chance... I advise you too.

Don't get me started on the bad rep girls get for being gamer's! I have plenty of friends who are girls (Imagine that!), and they get such a bad rep it's unbelievable. Too much commotion is stirred up if a girl has the words  'girl gamer' anywhere near her bio whether it be on Twitter, Facebook or even the games console itself. If these words are used, she is known as an 'attention seeker' its completely ridiculous.

See? They are real!

I believe I've said everything on my mind. Just remember, if you yourself are not a gamer. Don't go round calling other's nerds because you have nothing better to do in your spare time. In the meantime, us 'nerds' will have a great time owning some noobs and repeatedly tapping the crouch button on Halo!

Have a great day you lovely bunch of people! 

-Jay <3