Summer vacation meant a respite from the drudgery and tedium the education system wrought upon us each year. Those precious few months away from overbearing homework and lectures were cherished by all. We would count down the last few days of the school year; teachers and students alike happily anticipating the beginning of summer break. While the teachers would no doubt conceive more evil study plans and dubious essays, the students would spend their time improving themselves through the art of play, games and good old fashioned relaxation.
Of course, Summer Camp was plan A for most parents; being far too busy with work and adult responsibilities to dedicate their whole day to entertaining their children over the summer. Summer Camp offered parents and guardians a convenient solution to this problem. Their work schedules would be kept intact and their children would be off learning and socializing with other kids during the week. It was basically school with all the boring bits cut out and replaced with recess and lunch time.
My summer camp experience was incredible. It’s where I first learned how to play Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon. As soon as we were let into the building, we would rush to our favorite spots, get settled, and bust out our card collections while we waited for the first planned activity of the morning. The large room we occupied was a classroom with several raised floors. We determined it to be a music classroom considering all the instruments stored away by the walls.
Once the cards were out, the energetic squabbles of card trades and duels filled the room. I was overwhelmed when I first experienced the hustle and bustle of kids haggling for rare cards, only able to observe and learn what I could about these strange card games. I had never played a trading card game of any sort before that point. The summers that preceded were filled with cartoons and soccer; one summer even had me out of commission as I had my tonsils removed. I remember being so fascinated by the quickness of gameplay. The rules seemed complex and daunting but I was determined to learn how to play. No way was I going to be left out of awesome gaming scenes like this!
It was the perfect time to learn how to play and make some new friends over the summer. Our field trips usually took us to the local mall, where we would all make a b-line for Wizards of the Coast. I’m sure the employees working there knew we were coming and welcomed the sudden flow of lunch money as we scoured the place for booster packs and starter decks.
This was how I got into Magic and Pokémon, and my obsession only grew after I got my Game Boy Color. That’s a post for another day, though.
Bedsforth 