I question if people even know why they are playing Runescape sometimes. Look at what you’re doing in Runescape right now. Are you working on 70 mining? Are you saving up for a Santa hat? Are you trying to get a skill level, so you can use that skill to get something else? I think many of us play Runescape doing these things, and deep down inside we are thinking “All I want is a party hat, and then I will be happy!” or maybe “Once I get 70 mining I will be set!” With these thought in our heads, we toil about our ways, building our levels and increasing our bank accounts. Sure we take the occasional break to attend a drop party, do a few quests, or raise a few other skills; but most of us do have an underlying goal in Runescape that we focus on, whether we know it or not...

In school many teachers and coaches will tell you “set goals for yourself”. In real life setting goals is a good idea; for example, setting a goal to graduate from college will probably make you a better student. In Runescape though, focusing only on goals may not be the best thing. You see, many people get caught up in their goals and no longer play Runescape for enjoyment. These people continue to play the game, but they are playing just so they can get these things for their character. These people are missing the point of the game: Runescape is supposed to be a break from reality, a place where you can relax and have fun, Runescape is not supposed to be a chore!

All of us also fall into a trap. We think that once we get that to that one skill level, or that once we get that Santa hat, we will be happy. However, I can tell you from personal experience, this is not the case. I spent months on Runescape trying to get one of my goals, the day I got it I was happy for a while, but that feeling soon passed. The next day I was already working on something else, and I really didn’t care about my other accomplishment that I was so proud of just a few hours ago. I thought about this and realized that I never really understood the saying “The grass is always greener on the other side” but at that moment it made perfect sense to me: You only want things your don’t have; once you have them, be it at Santa hat or level 90 fishing, you no longer really care that much about them. The same applies to real life actually. Many of us live our lives always thinking to the future, thinking of things like “Once I get that new iPod, things are going to be a lot better” or “Once I get into college, then I can have a fun time”. The problem with this is it ignores the present.

We keep looking forward to the future and in the process we ignore all the good things going on around us. Think about your favorite memories, when did you have them? Chances are, for many of them, they happened at times you didn’t expect. Life doesn’t suddenly get better because it’s Saturday, or because you got an iPod, or because you turned 20. Life is life, and it is nothing more than a quick succession of busy nothings. The same goes for Runescape. Having a level 99 skill isn’t that fun in itself, it’s the journey to level 99 that is the fun part. I think many Runescape players forget this, and in the process they lose sight of why they are even playing Runescape. Runescape is not about having the highest skills or the most rares, Runescape is about taking a break from life and just having a fun time. Runescape should be enjoyed, it should not be a chore, and neither should a regular old school day in your life.

Did You Know...

... that poison can be removed from weapons using a cleaning cloth (piece of silk soaked in Karamjan rum).

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