Farm Simulation Addiction? Here's why:

The amount of mooing notifications I've heard recently is concerning. Every time my phone buzzes I look for that silly little chicken to give me an update on my farm's progress. I spend hours clicking away to try and sell more vegetables for under-market value. It's always Wednesday when I need to go to Pierre's and Greg pity-buys my wares that don't sell. All of these confessions frame me in a pretty pathetic light, but it's really the truth. I've found myself in another farm simulation game phase, and it's honestly obvious why.

"Freshman year is hard for everyone, it's a right of passage!" If I hear this sentence one more time, I think I'll seek guidance to drop out. This past year I endured the nightmare of being a college freshman, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it was genuinely one of the most difficult years of my life. Between roommate tension, a long-distance relationship, and back-to-back illnesses, I think I've survived enough stress for several lifetimes. Through all this chaos, I was desperate for routine. My days were filled with commitments and my nights became lazy wastes of time as I fought to recover. That's where farming sims came in.

I've been a HayDay girl since 4th grade, only a few years after its initial release in 2012. Since then, I've ebbed and flowed in the practice of HayDay farm maintenance. For those who don't know, HayDay is a Supercell farm simulation game where you inherit your uncle's farmland. From advancing your farm level to participating in your neighborhood's weekly derby, HayDay has something for everyone. You name it: fishing, livestock, and even the production of artisan goods like cakes and candles. Personally, raising pets is my favorite aspect. Sometimes I go years without logging in, while others I can't close the app for months at a time. However, a new player entered the ring in 2021 when I was gifted my Nintendo Switch.

Stardew Valley: Concerned Ape's farm simulation game that chronologically progresses through the four seasons as you settle into Pelican Town. You've just inherited your late grandfather's run-down farm, and it's going to take some time to get used to being the newcomer in the valley. The unique element of Stardew Valley that I love is definitely the character interaction. Similar to Animal Crossing, the more you talk to the townsfolk, the friendlier they are. You can complete quests, exchange gifts, and even start romantic relationships. It's the perfect crossover between farming sims and dialogue-centered games, and I always find myself returning to upkeep my farm.

But what do either of these farming games have to do with my freshman year of college? One word: control. The levels of stress and sickness I faced this past year were higher than I've ever experienced, and my mind was desperate for a sense of routine and control. No matter how many checklists or calendars I made, I still felt that the gratification from completing all my academic tasks was taking too long. Turning to farm sims as a source of entertainment gave me the chance to reap the rewards of my hard work, even if it was selling digital vegetables to buy another pixelated horse. Watching my fake farms grow in real-time in a matter of hours rather than months was much more rewarding than the project grades I awaited for months. It's like playing cards at a casino; you're so determined to win that you spend all your time on it, even if the rewards are non-tangible.

Am I proud of my farm simulation phases? Of course not, I'm a little ashamed; they're children's games and I'm now in college. However, my friends have now tagged onto the trend too so I'm less alone. Now, my Stardew Valley server can be accessed by multiple people, and my closest friends run a HayDay neighborhood with me.

What I've learned from this past year is that coping mechanisms are not a strict list of options. Through farming simulation games this past year, I've learned the importance of maintaining a routine in life and working for rewards. You can dismiss farming games all you want, but in the end, they can be used as community tools, practices of control, and harmless short-term gratification. Just don't play them to the point where you're farming in your dreams.