I’ll start by saying I don’t expect anyone to read this whole post. I’ve never used Forums before, but needed to share my experience with the only community that could understand. This post is for me, and if you find yourself reading; I hope it resonates with you.
I started playing WoW in 2005 when I was 11 years old. My first character was an Orc Hunter named Morg on a friend’s account. I remember exploring the Barrens, fully immersed.
I begged my parents to buy me my own account. They finally caved despite a lot of initial resistance. I’ll never forget logging into the Frostmane Server for the first time on my Dwarf Hunter, Dun Morogh filling my ears while I left footprints in the snow.
My friend, a Dwarf Paladin by the name of Aignix; was a captain in his guild, The Saint Crusade. He secured me a spot and I made my first virtual friends. I’ll never forget the kindness of Maddie and Lamppost as they watched an awkward kid try to navigate the guild’s social dynamic. Lamppost taught me about the endless falling glitch from the tunnel in the sky atop a mountain near Ironforge and I sacrificed a Gnome to the experiment.
My first real PvP encounter was running ground-mounts into the Crossroads with all of my friends. Getting picked off brutally by Rogues in Stranglethorn Vale. Fighting for hours by Tarren Mill as the boat docked at Southshore.
I was too young to raid effectively, but the trolls rushing the temple in Zul’Farrak was something out of a movie in a mind powered by a young imagination.
Burning Crusade released and running through that portal changed my perspective. Seeing the Path of Glory laid with bones brought a heaviness I’d not yet experienced. The reverberating drone of the Fel Reaver shattering the ambience of the world. Soaring through broken solar skies and underneath towering mushrooms made me forget the challenges of my adolescence.
I met a long-time friend, a Tauren Hunter by the name of Fyid, killing an elite in Hellfire Peninsula. In the time I’ve known her I’ve watched her graduate college, get married, and have two children.
Nagrand has a special place in my heart, I felt a quiet peace on its floating islands.
Wrath of the Lich King brought a darkness that pulled me in. Captivated by the story, I explored raiding for the first time. I failed, I learned, I improved. I felt genuine human sorrow for Arthas as he grappled with impossible choices. I became invested in the story that brought the universe to life.
On the wings of my Wrath experience, Cataclysm brought me a spot as a leader in a raiding guild. I led my first raids and I’ll never forget bringing the group together for our first successful clear. Golem, Holipower, Alov, Fyid, Hale: thank you for your eternal patience and faith in me.
The pressures of late-teenage life saw me lose touch with WoW through Pandaria and Warlords. I never quit, but my characters felt dormant for the first time. I graduated High School, started college, and started work - but I’d occasionally find time to go explore after a long day.
Legion arrived, and a more stable work situation empowered my chance to play actively again. I’m still proud of securing that first Gul’dan kill, it felt like a victory for the much younger version of myself. The subsequent Mythic fights soon taught me a lesson in humility.
Battle for Azeroth ignited my love for the Old Gods, my career AoTC secured on N’Zoth.
Shadowlands saw me step away. Work pressure and the demands of life challenged my ability to play. Still, I found moments to appreciate the moody tones of Revendreth and the unforgiving brutality of the Maw.
Dragonflight forced me to grow, stepping into a healing role for a 3’s group with my brother and best friend. We played for one season, and managed to climb to 2100. To share this game with those closest to me was the best feeling in the world.
Near the end of Dragonflight, I met the love of my life. A chance meeting that was only brought together by the universe. A talented, brilliant, beautiful woman that I met as a Draenei Paladin. Fate took a chance on us, and I realized all along that she was the reason I started playing. All of those roads and memories ultimately led me to her. Dahlia influenced the course of my life forever.
The War Within has led to an empty chair and a cold keyboard. I still log on from time to time, but the nostalgia that has gripped me for two-thirds of my life has faded. I’ve realized now, twenty years later, my time has come.
I’ve never been an exceptional player, nor have I possessed the time required to stack my resume with Gladiator or World First titles.
All the same, World of Warcraft has changed my life. It’s been a friend that’s seen me grow. WoW has been with me throughout my journey. It’s seen high school breakups, graduations, college, promotions, the wins and losses that have defined my life so far.
I don’t expect anyone to have made it this far. If you have, you should know I’ll hold these experiences close for the rest of my life.
Thank you for the chance to share my story.
-Zara