Nostalgia

Thursday's class was very nostalgic.  We talked about how video and computer games teach us skills.  As we listed games such as Roller Coaster Tycoon, Sim City, and Civilization, which build civic and economic talents, I remembered playing these games as a kid.  And I think I really did learn how to manage money and resources thanks to these games.  They taught me that sometimes it's worth it to sacrifice a little now in order to get ahead later, but also that the big, shiny things aren't always the most useful.

This week, I traveled to Texas, and I remembered another important game from my childhood: Flight Simulator.  I played it in a technology class in Junior High.  No, really, it was assigned.  I had to successfully take off, fly, and land a plane using some basic equipment like a joystick, brakes and gas pedals, and a computer.  It was pretty awesome.  I never really landed very well, but this week when I was sitting on my plane, waiting to take off, I remembered playing that game. 

Flight Simulator panel

And I remembered you wait until you've reached a certain speed before lifting off the ground.  I remembered you have to watch your instruments, but once you're in the air, you can basically relax.  I remembered trying to land is like the hardest thing ever, and I usually ended up off the runway.  Now, my future career has nothing to do with flying planes, but I have a greater appreciation for what my pilot is doing, and I understand what's happening and why when I fly.

Games like Flight Simulator actually are used in job training.  Sometimes they aren't referred to as games, but they allow a person to practice a useful skill before they do it in real life.  For instance, surgeons can practice various procedures using virtual reality simulators before they perform them on an actual patient. 

When I was a kid, I never thought the games I was playing might be important to my personal development or career.  Well, maybe those Jumpstart games.  The school openly admitted they were trying to prepare you for the next year.  But besides that, I was just having fun.  Looking back, though, those games did change me.  Even Flight Simulator, which didn't directly influence my future career, has given me more confidence while flying, and a greater appreciation for what's going on in the cockpit.

See, Parents?  It wasn't all wasted time.