Calm down. Remember it's just a game.

A few nights ago, I realised (again) that Dota 2 has made me lose sight of my priorities. During the game, I got a call from my boyfriend and I couldn't pay attention to the call. My entire concentration was on the match, and half the time I answered without really thinking or listening to the full sentence he said. I can't even remember whether I said 'I love you' back. Now why is this such a big deal? We're both busy most of the time and we don't get to see each other often. It's pretty hard to find a time where both of us are free simultaneously, so these chances become very precious to me. But even so, I allowed it to slip by, for Dota. And we didn't even win.

Sometime in the middle of one of the matches that night, my mom called out to me and I must have sounded annoyed when I answered. My dog, Mystie was emo and I ignored that fact and continued playing. Mystie came into my room later on her own, lie down in her bed and stared at me quietly. I neglected her the whole night and was unaware that she was bored and probably lonely.

Apart from that, this semester marks the beginning of my final year and hence I am supposed to work on my proposal for my final year project. Yet I spent the entire night playing Dota, responsibilities untouched.

I lost sight of my priorities, we lost the game, and the tension was high as there were those who couldn't keep their cool and lashed out at other people. After everything I asked myself, was it worth it? Nope.

Every Dota 2 player who has played the game long enough knows that this game is damn capable of making one lose self confidence. I, myself am a very good example. I start feeling incompetent like a total fool and scold myself for every small little mistake that I make.

And on top of blaming oneself, Dota 2 players blame each other too. I use to do this a lot but have stopped doing this since (about a year ago I think?) after I went on my first losing streak. That was when I started realizing that team morale affects a lot. And we need to stop raging.

Then again, sometimes I understand that people just couldn't control themselves. Because there really are trolls and retards out there.

Spectre was our MVP, obviously.

We would have won if only he had taken his 3rd boots of speed and 2nd stout shield from his stash.

But! We could all learn to take a chill pill and not be too quick to lash out at others. Heck, maybe they are really new or naturally stupid. So, why not give them the benefit of the doubt?

Anyway, people still blame each other all the time. I won't deny that I sometimes still end up putting the blame on someone who screwed up the game, even though I didn't do very well myself. Of course, we are free to judge, to think, but perhaps we should stop feeling like we are entitled to scold them and shove it in their face. Everybody has their share of bad days.

With blaming comes raging. Dota 2 has the ability to turn people into the rudest, and harshest monsters ever. Look at the way everyone swears in game. Myself included.

But with all that's said and done, I can't keep my hands off the game just yet.

Well. I'll just live by that particular quote on that loading screen, perhaps every dota player should too.

Take a chill pill, and calm the fuck down. At the end of the day, it really is, just a game.