Roughly eighteen months ago when I (secretly) made the decision to move out to California, I did so with some very specific goals in mind. I had been living and working rather comfortably in Tampa for six years. I enjoyed a good, stable job that may not have been going where I wanted as quickly as I wanted it but I was pretty assured in that I would never lose it. But despite the comfort and security, I wanted more.Ever since I was really young, I have played video games. Over the course of my life I have owned/currently own an Atari 2600, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Gameboy, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Playstation, Playstation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PSP, Playstation 3, Apple IIGS, and various pre-built and pieced-together PCs. Growing up, one of my many dream jobs was to be a video game designer (or work in the video game industry in some way). When I started feeling like I could be doing more as it relates to the kind of work I was doing (for those who don't know, I was a 2nd-level technician at an IT help desk), I thought back on my youth and the reasons why I got a Computer Science degree in the first place. Video games.
Capcom, Namco Bandai, Konami, Sega, Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, LucasArts, NCSoft, Cryptic Studios, etc, all have offices in Silicon Valley. And since I have a close friend who lives out in that exact area, it became clear that I could take a chance and move across the country to see if I could work in the industry I've dreamed of joining.
So, now it's roughly one year later. I certainly feel that coming out here, finding a new job, and getting used to a new environment has been a good experience for me. But where am I in realizing my goal?
To be brutally honest, I would say that up to this point I have failed. Some might think I'm being a little to harsh on myself, but I don't believe in moral victories, half-truths, or some other kind of feel-good nonsense that you find on a poster somewhere. As stated previously, my goal coming out here was to work in the video game industry and I have yet to break my way in. That does not mean I have given up, but I feel I should take this time to think on what I want to do in the near future. I'm not getting any younger ...
1 comment:
I know it's not a consolation, but I feel like I can say something regarding the relocation to improve one's career/profession. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to live in either Florida or California. It only made sense, as I desperately wanted to be the next Eugenie Clark. Here I am finally making that move (after what can only be described as a long year) and this is what I have to say about cross country moves of such hope: It's HARD. Even when you have a small circle in the new place, there's so much new to get used to. You have the chance to reinvent yourself, but I find myself wanting to revert to this person I was 15 years ago more than anything. I consider this a loss of ground.You have to find your place in the new environment...to put my woefully underused Ecology degree to some good, you have to find your niche. I think that's hard and time consuming. Plus, if you're a type A (like me) you don't just move somewhere without a job...but like me, you might settle for that job, just so you'll have the chance.
Anyway, to cut to the chase. Reflect, analyze, ponder. Do all of these. But give yourself the credit you deserve just for undertaking the journey. Keep on keeping on. After reflecting on what steps you've accomplished towards your goals, they should be that much more within your grasp.
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