this December 25th was the most exciting day of my life I’d asked Santa for an
day of my life I’d asked Santa for an
day of my life I’d asked Santa for an Xbox and sure enough under our Christmas
Xbox and sure enough under our Christmas
Xbox and sure enough under our Christmas tree sat a large briefly wrapped box the
tree sat a large briefly wrapped box the
tree sat a large briefly wrapped box the word Microsoft was barely visible
word Microsoft was barely visible
word Microsoft was barely visible through the translucent red wrapping I
through the translucent red wrapping I
through the translucent red wrapping I ripped into the paper and I actually
ripped into the paper and I actually
ripped into the paper and I actually screamed with joy I was so excited um I
screamed with joy I was so excited um I
screamed with joy I was so excited um I loved the console upstairs where I
loved the console upstairs where I
loved the console upstairs where I connected it to an old TV from that
connected it to an old TV from that
connected it to an old TV from that morning onwards I would spend hours
morning onwards I would spend hours
morning onwards I would spend hours playing away all the stress and
playing away all the stress and
playing away all the stress and hardships of fifth grade life this was
hardships of fifth grade life this was
hardships of fifth grade life this was my first exposure to video games and the
my first exposure to video games and the
my first exposure to video games and the first time my parents began to seriously
first time my parents began to seriously
first time my parents began to seriously reconsider the Christmas Eves
reconsider the Christmas Eves
reconsider the Christmas Eves but just like most parents they saw it
but just like most parents they saw it
but just like most parents they saw it as a waste of time in their eyes it was
as a waste of time in their eyes it was
as a waste of time in their eyes it was making me lazy but I was hooked so I
making me lazy but I was hooked so I
making me lazy but I was hooked so I continued playing my parents might not
continued playing my parents might not
continued playing my parents might not believe it but my passion with gaming
believe it but my passion with gaming
believe it but my passion with gaming actually became a source of important
actually became a source of important
actually became a source of important life skills gaming taught me the value
life skills gaming taught me the value
life skills gaming taught me the value of practice gaming taught me how to keep
of practice gaming taught me how to keep
of practice gaming taught me how to keep cool under pressure and gaming taught me
cool under pressure and gaming taught me
cool under pressure and gaming taught me that even a team who’s not best friends
that even a team who’s not best friends
that even a team who’s not best friends can still win if they work together
can still win if they work together
can still win if they work together sometime in middle school I was over
sometime in middle school I was over
sometime in middle school I was over from Xbox to PC gaming there was one
from Xbox to PC gaming there was one
from Xbox to PC gaming there was one game in particular counter-strike that I
game in particular counter-strike that I
game in particular counter-strike that I was hooked on and my freshman year I was
was hooked on and my freshman year I was
was hooked on and my freshman year I was getting pretty good so I asked my some
getting pretty good so I asked my some
getting pretty good so I asked my some of my friends deforming an amateur team
of my friends deforming an amateur team
of my friends deforming an amateur team one of my friends showed me a picture –
one of my friends showed me a picture –
one of my friends showed me a picture – a picture – an upcoming tournament it
a picture – an upcoming tournament it
a picture – an upcoming tournament it was called the testament cup and to us
was called the testament cup and to us
was called the testament cup and to us freshmen those six hundred dollars were
freshmen those six hundred dollars were
freshmen those six hundred dollars were a ton of money so during the week
a ton of money so during the week
a ton of money so during the week leading up to the tournament we would
leading up to the tournament we would
leading up to the tournament we would spend hours practicing strategies and
spend hours practicing strategies and
spend hours practicing strategies and tactics when it finally came to game day
tactics when it finally came to game day
tactics when it finally came to game day we were ready our first game was against
we were ready our first game was against
we were ready our first game was against one of the strongest teams there they
one of the strongest teams there they
one of the strongest teams there they were called uncle’s having fun no
now don’t be fooled by the name
now don’t be fooled by the name they were very intimidating or as
they were very intimidating or as
they were very intimidating or as intimidating as a group of lengthy 30
intimidating as a group of lengthy 30
intimidating as a group of lengthy 30 year olds could be the game commenced I
year olds could be the game commenced I
year olds could be the game commenced I looked around to see lots of hand
looked around to see lots of hand
looked around to see lots of hand shaking and heavy breathing my friends
shaking and heavy breathing my friends
shaking and heavy breathing my friends and I were unbelievably nervous but we
and I were unbelievably nervous but we
and I were unbelievably nervous but we stuck to our training the first game
stuck to our training the first game
stuck to our training the first game ended in a clean win in the first game
ended in a clean win in the first game
ended in a clean win in the first game ended in a clean win by us one of my
ended in a clean win by us one of my
ended in a clean win by us one of my friends was laughing another one was was
friends was laughing another one was was
friends was laughing another one was was crying and I immediately picked up my
crying and I immediately picked up my
crying and I immediately picked up my phone to call my mom mom we just won our
phone to call my mom mom we just won our
phone to call my mom mom we just won our first game against uncle’s having fun
first game against uncle’s having fun
first game against uncle’s having fun who she asked that was the moment I
who she asked that was the moment I
who she asked that was the moment I learned that practice pays off two years
learned that practice pays off two years
learned that practice pays off two years later I find myself in a similar
later I find myself in a similar
later I find myself in a similar situation our school’s cross-country
situation our school’s cross-country
situation our school’s cross-country team was invited to a competition in
team was invited to a competition in
team was invited to a competition in Bangkok Thailand and I wasn’t born with
Bangkok Thailand and I wasn’t born with
Bangkok Thailand and I wasn’t born with naturally long legs or gifted with a
naturally long legs or gifted with a
naturally long legs or gifted with a medical Billie to run so I had to train
medical Billie to run so I had to train
medical Billie to run so I had to train outside of school on my own just to keep
outside of school on my own just to keep
outside of school on my own just to keep up with a level of competition but
up with a level of competition but
up with a level of competition but standing there at the starting line I
standing there at the starting line I
standing there at the starting line I was just one among a hundred other
was just one among a hundred other
was just one among a hundred other athletes one thing when the race ended I
athletes one thing when the race ended I
athletes one thing when the race ended I knew I had run the best I possibly could
knew I had run the best I possibly could
knew I had run the best I possibly could again my first instinct was to call my
again my first instinct was to call my
again my first instinct was to call my mom but thanks to Thailand’s Wi-Fi a
mom but thanks to Thailand’s Wi-Fi a
mom but thanks to Thailand’s Wi-Fi a message had to suffice um video game
message had to suffice um video game
message had to suffice um video game just made me a better athlete my hard
just made me a better athlete my hard
just made me a better athlete my hard work had my hard work had paid off and
work had my hard work had paid off and
work had my hard work had paid off and my team’s performance at the testament
my team’s performance at the testament
my team’s performance at the testament cup got me some recognition in the local
cup got me some recognition in the local
cup got me some recognition in the local gaming scene so a year later we were I
gaming scene so a year later we were I
gaming scene so a year later we were I was invited to play for one of the what
was invited to play for one of the what
was invited to play for one of the what large gaming organization in Singapore
large gaming organization in Singapore
large gaming organization in Singapore they were called no he’s talking and and
they were called no he’s talking and and
they were called no he’s talking and and they were sponsored by by local tech
they were sponsored by by local tech
they were sponsored by by local tech companies and interested and interested
companies and interested and interested
companies and interested and interested investors there was one term tournament
investors there was one term tournament
investors there was one term tournament we played in called es e open that
we played in called es e open that
we played in called es e open that pitted us against against one of the
pitted us against against one of the
pitted us against against one of the best teams in the region they were
best teams in the region they were
best teams in the region they were called they were a couple Filipinos who
called they were a couple Filipinos who
called they were a couple Filipinos who went by the name mineski and I remember
went by the name mineski and I remember
went by the name mineski and I remember shivering at the notion of playing
shivering at the notion of playing
shivering at the notion of playing against these I remember
against these I remember
against these I remember sharing the notion of playing against
sharing the notion of playing against
sharing the notion of playing against these guys um a deadly concoction of
these guys um a deadly concoction of
these guys um a deadly concoction of nervousness and test anxiety has been
nervousness and test anxiety has been
nervousness and test anxiety has been every current theme since since I was a
every current theme since since I was a
every current theme since since I was a kid but this time I promised myself I
kid but this time I promised myself I
kid but this time I promised myself I would suck up all that anxiety before
would suck up all that anxiety before
would suck up all that anxiety before the game IV played one thought in my
the game IV played one thought in my
the game IV played one thought in my mind focus on the game and not the
mind focus on the game and not the
mind focus on the game and not the stakes the game commence and to my
stakes the game commence and to my
stakes the game commence and to my surprise I actually kept my cool
surprise I actually kept my cool
surprise I actually kept my cool we took the round slowly winning each
we took the round slowly winning each
we took the round slowly winning each one at a time and eventually we don’t
one at a time and eventually we don’t
one at a time and eventually we don’t want that the game the the room erupted
want that the game the the room erupted
want that the game the the room erupted in cheering and laughter and our manager
in cheering and laughter and our manager
in cheering and laughter and our manager walked in just in time to catch a
walked in just in time to catch a
walked in just in time to catch a celebration he looked at me and yelled
celebration he looked at me and yelled
celebration he looked at me and yelled you’re an absolute a beast and at that
you’re an absolute a beast and at that
you’re an absolute a beast and at that that moment changed the way I dealt the
that moment changed the way I dealt the
that moment changed the way I dealt the pressure a few months later I was taking
pressure a few months later I was taking
pressure a few months later I was taking my first physics test and as I worked
my first physics test and as I worked
my first physics test and as I worked through the test I heard those three
through the test I heard those three
through the test I heard those three dreaded words ten minutes left a chill
dreaded words ten minutes left a chill
dreaded words ten minutes left a chill went up my spine as I looked down at the
went up my spine as I looked down at the
went up my spine as I looked down at the paper hoppin my test was still
paper hoppin my test was still
paper hoppin my test was still unfinished that’s when the anxiety
unfinished that’s when the anxiety
unfinished that’s when the anxiety started to kick in I took a step I took
started to kick in I took a step I took
started to kick in I took a step I took a step back I took a deep breath and I
a step back I took a deep breath and I
a step back I took a deep breath and I whispered to myself I am a physics of
whispered to myself I am a physics of
whispered to myself I am a physics of Beast and it was in those remaining ten
Beast and it was in those remaining ten
Beast and it was in those remaining ten minutes I were curiously taking on each
minutes I were curiously taking on each
minutes I were curiously taking on each question one kinematics equation at a
question one kinematics equation at a
question one kinematics equation at a time it turns out I got the entire
time it turns out I got the entire
time it turns out I got the entire second half of the test correct so
second half of the test correct so
second half of the test correct so that’s my secret to doing well in school
that’s my secret to doing well in school
that’s my secret to doing well in school um my team and I played in a dozen other
um my team and I played in a dozen other
um my team and I played in a dozen other tournaments around Southeast Asia there
tournaments around Southeast Asia there
tournaments around Southeast Asia there was one um and you would think that
was one um and you would think that
was one um and you would think that after all these tournaments we would be
after all these tournaments we would be
after all these tournaments we would be very close friends right but that’s not
very close friends right but that’s not
very close friends right but that’s not the case it’s not easy getting along
the case it’s not easy getting along
the case it’s not easy getting along with people from a very different
with people from a very different
with people from a very different culture than you in fact my nickname in
culture than you in fact my nickname in
culture than you in fact my nickname in the team was unmowed which is which is a
the team was unmowed which is which is a
the team was unmowed which is which is a Singlish term meaning white or Caucasian
Singlish term meaning white or Caucasian
Singlish term meaning white or Caucasian and I always found this incredibly odd
and I always found this incredibly odd
and I always found this incredibly odd and slightly confusing there was there
and slightly confusing there was there
and slightly confusing there was there there was one game that had us playing
there was one game that had us playing
there was one game that had us playing against one of the one of the best teams
against one of the one of the best teams
against one of the one of the best teams in Thailand and they were called made in
in Thailand and they were called made in
in Thailand and they were called made in Thailand however before this game our
Thailand however before this game our
Thailand however before this game our team was a complete mess our our captain
team was a complete mess our our captain
team was a complete mess our our captain was stressed out one of our teammates
was stressed out one of our teammates
was stressed out one of our teammates was having a midlife crisis and and Oh
was having a midlife crisis and and Oh
was having a midlife crisis and and Oh five of us were arguing over the most
five of us were arguing over the most
five of us were arguing over the most trivial things and one of my teammates
trivial things and one of my teammates
trivial things and one of my teammates just looked at me and he just yelled get
just looked at me and he just yelled get
just looked at me and he just yelled get on my country um oh you aren’t welcome
on my country um oh you aren’t welcome
on my country um oh you aren’t welcome here however after the game started it
here however after the game started it
here however after the game started it was no longer unmowed I was kid and at
was no longer unmowed I was kid and at
was no longer unmowed I was kid and at first the game was really really close
first the game was really really close
first the game was really really close but slowly we began to steadily pull
but slowly we began to steadily pull
but slowly we began to steadily pull ahead we started winning I evolved from
ahead we started winning I evolved from
ahead we started winning I evolved from kid into into bro and my teammate who
kid into into bro and my teammate who
kid into into bro and my teammate who had just called me an illegal immigrant
had just called me an illegal immigrant
had just called me an illegal immigrant was now reaching out for a high-five
was now reaching out for a high-five
was now reaching out for a high-five he looked at me and he said don’t worry
he looked at me and he said don’t worry
he looked at me and he said don’t worry a bro you aren’t actually um oh uh and
and I was relieved because he always had
and I was relieved because he always had me convinced
me convinced
me convinced because he almost had me convinced for a
because he almost had me convinced for a
because he almost had me convinced for a second twenty minutes earlier we had
second twenty minutes earlier we had
second twenty minutes earlier we had been an arguing mess but we want I
been an arguing mess but we want I
been an arguing mess but we want I quickly learned the fine line between
quickly learned the fine line between
quickly learned the fine line between simply getting along and learning to
simply getting along and learning to
simply getting along and learning to work with others um more recently our I
work with others um more recently our I
work with others um more recently our I took a trip to Tokyo Japan with my
took a trip to Tokyo Japan with my
took a trip to Tokyo Japan with my school and as part of the learning
school and as part of the learning
school and as part of the learning objectives we had to camp in the winter
objectives we had to camp in the winter
objectives we had to camp in the winter overnight and we were promised a warm
overnight and we were promised a warm
overnight and we were promised a warm sunny day but instead it was heavily
sunny day but instead it was heavily
sunny day but instead it was heavily snowing and negative 18 degrees
snowing and negative 18 degrees
snowing and negative 18 degrees regardless we have to build our very own
regardless we have to build our very own
regardless we have to build our very own ice caves to sleep in and my two group
ice caves to sleep in and my two group
ice caves to sleep in and my two group members were people I’ve never met
members were people I’ve never met
members were people I’ve never met before so as expected working together
before so as expected working together
before so as expected working together was very hard at first and when we were
was very hard at first and when we were
was very hard at first and when we were just about to put the finishing touches
just about to put the finishing touches
just about to put the finishing touches on our ice cave our roof fell through
on our ice cave our roof fell through
on our ice cave our roof fell through that’s when the drama began at that
that’s when the drama began at that
that’s when the drama began at that moment I took the initiative to
moment I took the initiative to
moment I took the initiative to transform from
transform from
transform from into bro and in this in those remaining
into bro and in this in those remaining
into bro and in this in those remaining hours of daylight we built the nicest
hours of daylight we built the nicest
hours of daylight we built the nicest coziest warmest snow cave in the history
coziest warmest snow cave in the history
coziest warmest snow cave in the history of snow caves
of snow caves
of snow caves but being honest our secure cave was
but being honest our secure cave was
but being honest our secure cave was just a hole so I spent most of the night
just a hole so I spent most of the night
just a hole so I spent most of the night trying not to freeze to death while I
trying not to freeze to death while I
trying not to freeze to death while I contemplated the life decisions that
contemplated the life decisions that
contemplated the life decisions that brought me to this North regardless we
brought me to this North regardless we
brought me to this North regardless we had a roof over our heads and that’s
had a roof over our heads and that’s
had a roof over our heads and that’s what kept that’s what helped me survive
what kept that’s what helped me survive
what kept that’s what helped me survive and I so videogames helped me work with
and I so videogames helped me work with
and I so videogames helped me work with two strangers to build a snow cave
two strangers to build a snow cave
two strangers to build a snow cave however I would be lying if I said that
however I would be lying if I said that
however I would be lying if I said that survival wasn’t also a huge motivation
survival wasn’t also a huge motivation
survival wasn’t also a huge motivation regardless regardless learning to work
regardless regardless learning to work
regardless regardless learning to work with others especially those that want
with others especially those that want
with others especially those that want to deport you every other day
to deport you every other day
to deport you every other day is an important life lesson if there’s
is an important life lesson if there’s
is an important life lesson if there’s anything at all you take away from my
anything at all you take away from my
anything at all you take away from my talk I hope it’s these three things
talk I hope it’s these three things
talk I hope it’s these three things don’t ever ever settle on a name like
don’t ever ever settle on a name like
don’t ever ever settle on a name like uncle’s having fun learn the kinematic
uncle’s having fun learn the kinematic
uncle’s having fun learn the kinematic equations before your next physical exam
equations before your next physical exam
equations before your next physical exam and never ever agree to sleep out in the
and never ever agree to sleep out in the
and never ever agree to sleep out in the winter over night if you follow these
winter over night if you follow these
winter over night if you follow these three steps I guarantee that you will be
three steps I guarantee that you will be
three steps I guarantee that you will be happy but mostly warm for the rest of
happy but mostly warm for the rest of
happy but mostly warm for the rest of your life in all seriousness imagine
your life in all seriousness imagine
your life in all seriousness imagine that my parents reacted differently to
that my parents reacted differently to
that my parents reacted differently to gaming I would be telling a completely
gaming I would be telling a completely
gaming I would be telling a completely different story I would be telling you
different story I would be telling you
different story I would be telling you of my daring escape from video game
of my daring escape from video game
of my daring escape from video game rehab but instead my parents let me
rehab but instead my parents let me
rehab but instead my parents let me extend my parents let me explore my
extend my parents let me explore my
extend my parents let me explore my passion they put aside their peril
passion they put aside their peril
passion they put aside their peril notions and their personal opinions they
notions and their personal opinions they
notions and their personal opinions they let me do what I love and it’s paid off
let me do what I love and it’s paid off
let me do what I love and it’s paid off dividends video games has made me a
dividends video games has made me a
dividends video games has made me a better athlete Runner and a better
better athlete Runner and a better
better athlete Runner and a better athlete Runner and future employee so
athlete Runner and future employee so
athlete Runner and future employee so mom and dad I’ll never be able to thank
mom and dad I’ll never be able to thank
mom and dad I’ll never be able to thank you enough and to the other students
you enough and to the other students
you enough and to the other students parents and teachers in the audience I
parents and teachers in the audience I
parents and teachers in the audience I implore you to consider just a water
implore you to consider just a water
implore you to consider just a water possibility that there was more
possibility that there was more
possibility that there was more video games then what’s on the screen
video games then what’s on the screen
video games then what’s on the screen thank you
”
Be First to Comment