Messy room, tangled hair, tear-stained eyes. I sit hunched over my desk in my dimly-lit room feeling hopeless. My grandpa has died, I am moving miles away from my home soon and I have no idea what the future holds for me.
As my laptop’s light illuminates my face and the familiar lullaby-like music plays, I forget about all my grievances. I am no longer on Earth but in Teyvat – the planet in the world of Genshin Impact.
Everyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with Genshin Impact. There are even people who refer to me as “Genshin girl.” Only a few know the story behind my sentiment.
It started in October 2020. I kept seeing ads for a new game with an anime art style, stunning map and cute characters. At the time, Genshin Impact was available on mobile and PC. I downloaded it but never really started playing until late November.
On Nov. 22, 2020, my grandpa passed away from COVID-19. My parents and I were devastated and my grandma was left widowed; it was as if our worlds were falling apart.
“Keep yourself busy, you should play a game or something to help better your mood,” my mother said to me, as we cried in each other’s arms a few days after his death. I agreed, but as I was about to open Roblox on my iPad, I thought of that game I downloaded last month. As I dragged my finger upwards and moved my character along Falcon Coast, something clicked in me.
By 2021, I was already planning which character I would save up to pull for next. When spring came around, I made dozens of friends through Genshin Impact Discord servers, while also reconnecting with past friends who recently began playing.
Slowly but surely, I started healing from my grandpa’s death. Undoubtedly, the stunning views in Liyue Harbor played a part in it.
A few months later, my parents announced we are moving to Texas in the summer of 2021. I was scared of leaving my home in Charlotte, N.C. of 12 years, especially during the COVID-19 year, but there was no other choice. The anticipation of awaiting the release of Inazuma, a new nation in Genshin, kept me from focusing on the negative.
I walked into my new school, Coppell Middle School East, not knowing my phone number but having my Genshin user ID memorized. Ironically, I made my first friends at school because of Genshin. The first person who talked to me at school saw me sketching Genshin characters on my notepad and we added each other to the game.
After we both drew Genshin characters on a whiteboard, a second person talked to me. She added me to a group chat with other Genshin players at school. Due to my high level, I offered to help them with challenges. Through playing together, we became close friends.
By freshman year, my love for the game remained strong, and I even hit the highest level in the game, playing to my heart’s content after finishing my AP Human Geography notes. I made even more friends as they saw me play Genshin or because they were curious about the game I was always talking about, and I’m still close to many of these people today. There were eventually enough people I knew to establish a Genshin Impact Club.
A lot of people made fun of my friends and I for being involved with the club and the game, but I did not mind it much, laughing along with those who did. Maybe it seemed like a stupid pastime, but it made me happy. It made my friends happy. That’s all that matters.
Even when people judge me for liking the game, they can never take away the happiness I get from it. I remember my achievements, the friends I made from playing, fun co-op sessions, late night “gacha” pull calls, cosplaying as Genshin characters and the feeling of reaching the highest level. The game has grown with me over the years.
As I’m now a junior, Genshin Impact continues to be my favorite destresser. The alluring designs, the beautiful depictions of different cultures and the captivating storyline never fail to capture my heart.
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