Online Gaming
It seems like, overnight, online gaming has gone from a fringe occupation of the biggest geeks do something that everyone is into. Back in the day, online games were only for the truly dedicated computer users. Playing online games was difficult, after all. You had to hunt down BBSs, often pay a subscription fee, deal with unstable software, and struggle to find people to play with you. Those days are gone. Between online shooting games, strategy games, adventure games, arcade games, and all the rest, gaming online has become one of the biggest sources of recreation for young people in the world today.
Of course, the biggest online gaming communities are the MMORPG's, or Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games. If you've never played one of these online gaming sites, don't start if you don't have a lot of time. They will suck you in and never let you out again! They are so much fun, and they are so addictive, that some people end up spending practically their whole life playing these games. Basically, they immerse you in a whole world online. Sometimes, it is a medieval setting, while other times it is something futuristic and science-fiction like. Some of the settings are realistic, while others of them are extremely fantastic. Whatever your interest, you can find an online gaming community for you.
As a matter of fact, some online gaming is little more than social networking in a world designed to match the real one. Games like second life and the Sims online are like this. Basically, you go around and do ordinary things. You can make money, buy things, go out dancing, fall in love - you name it. It is sort of like playing make believe, only it is about the things that you do in a normal day anyway. It might sound strange to you, but it is oddly addictive. I know people who get out more in virtual clubs inside the Sims than they do in real life.
Of course, if you only have a few minutes, it
might be worth it to find some kind of online gaming that is less of a time commitment. One of the best place to start is to play some pretty simple strategy games. Some of these require from 5 to 10 minutes. Even some of the bigger ones only involve half an hour time commitment. This lets you get in, play for a little bit, and leave again before your whole day is gone.
