To say I have a soft spot for LARPing is a bit of an understatement. Sure, on the surface it can simply look like a group of people with similar, perhaps slightly nerdy interests, playing a grown-up game of make believe. And – it is partly that! But what hurts my heart is when people see that as a bad thing, as though taking time away from the routine stresses of life to spend time doing something you enjoy with others is somehow immature or stupid. In my humble opinion, I think it’s quite the opposite.

A simple fact that’s tricky to argue is that humans are by nature social creatures. I enjoy a solo movie night or shopping trip alone from time to time as much as the next gal, but as an everyday way of life, no thanks! Interacting with others gives us new perspectives, new ideas, a way to decompress, and a way to elevate our spirits. It helps us forge bonds that can never be broken, experiencing life together in a very meaningful way, no matter how small the events. It’s necessary, and good, and right. But no matter how amazing our lives may be – and I hope all of yours are amazing! – there will always be room for improvement, and there will always be times we just need to get away from it all. That’s where LARPing can slip in quite nicely.

This post is inspired by a wonderful article I read recently: Adults should be imaginative, too: Try LARPing as a hobby. The author, Channing Kaiser, echoes many of the same sentiments I have about this underappreciated pastime. Kaiser sums it up nicely with, “I think the world needs more LARPing because I’m tired of living in a world where you have to grow out of make-believe.”

As a LARP enthusiast, I use LARPing in part as a way to escape. However, unlike harmful methods of escape, such as drug or alcohol abuse, LARPing actually enhances my ‘real’ life. I meet new people, go new places, turn away from technology and reconnect with nature, and come back from it all with some awesome new friends and a soaring spirit. It might be unconventional, but it’s really not nearly as ‘weird’ as outsiders might think it to be. It’s fun and oftentimes silly, and it lets you explore aspects of yourself that might not fit into your everyday life quite so easily. You can stretch your creative side, wear some super cool clothes, and just let yourself go to have a good time. That’s right – a good time! What’s so wrong with that?

I understand that most if not all of the people reading this are of a similar opinion about LARPing as I am, so I don’t expect this post to change the world. But if you do have negative notions about LARPing, I hope you’ll take a minute to think about where they come from. The world is full of enough negativity and name-calling, there’s no need to fuel that fire. We are all beautifully unique creatures, and the things we enjoy are beautifully unique as well. Some might love waking up to heavy metal – for me, it’s Lady Gaga! Neither of us is wrong or right, as there is no wrong or right. We know what works for us, and we do what it takes to make the most of every day.

Similarly, I know LARPing helps make all that mundane stuff seem not-so-bad. I still have to pay my bills, and get my oil changed, and make sure I shovel the walkways after a snowstorm. I’m not trying to run away from any of that. It’s necessary. But all of that is made easier because I let other sides of ‘me’ have their day in the sun, too. Don’t be afraid to be your best you. 🙂