Or you could chill with finalbro in psych class man, that works too

Well, alright then.

I support your choice Nate. I am almost at the point of letting go of Zelda myself... sometimes...

Good luck with life and college; they are both certainly more important than Zelda or any other internet business.

Run far far away and never look back.

You shall be missed.

~LOZ H~

Nick*

Sorry about that bro. Messed up when typing, obviously.

/Facepalms-Self

Yet another potential life to be destroyed by the expectations set upon them by popular culture.

Meanwhile, I am living off-campus and attending college part-time, so as to avoid any false expectations while actually getting a ****ing education.

Wow, if you think playing Zelda will screw up your social life, you must have REALLY low self-esteem. I'm a Zelda fanatic and all the girls I've dated don't give a shit about it. So, seriously dude, find a better excuse to stop playing that game.

Change is good, friend, but you've got some silly misconceptions about college. It isn't ultra-party place. It's not some place you can "reinvent" yourself. It's a place to do hard work, to learn, and to discover what drives you and what career path you want to take.

Sure, there are some parties here and there. Sure, there's dating too. But it's far from 'animal house'. Unless you choose to make it out like that.

Here are my suggestions:

1) You don't have to completely give up games. Everyone needs an outlet.

2) Dress better. Shop around, and you can dress nicely for cheap.

3) Exercise more. You'll get in shape and feel better about yourself.

4) JOIN GROUPS AND TALK TO PEOPLE. DON'T BLAME ZELDA FOR HOLDING YOU BACK FROM DOING THAT.

and lastly

5) ACTUALLY GO TO CLASS AND PAY ATTENTION. The point of college is to get an education, not to be in some stupid teen sex romp.

This piece is glorious. So Nick, see yah tonight right? Girls, and free beer. Midnight.

i'm so there

In my opinion, if "the hot girl Jenny" can't accept you for who you are then you can do better. I could understand if she was avoiding you for something like being a drug addict or a drunk. Then you would have something to change. I'm going to go off to college in a few months and I plan on buying a wii just to play the new Zelda game. I hope to meet a girl in college, but I'm not going to change myself just for that. This actually makes me think of an incident that happened two days ago. I'm becoming interested in playing D&D. I might be joining with a friend and some of his friends for a campaign. I told my brothers about it and they wanted to join, but when I told them that this was my thing, the older of the two told me how I'm 18 and that I'm too old for that sort of thing. What?!? Since I'm an adult now I'm suppose to suddenly change my hobbies. That instead of Zelda I'm suppose to want to catch every football game. (No offense to football lovers here. It's just not my thing).

Ok, that was a bit of a rant, but I would like to say this. If you truly want to let go of Zelda then let go but I would make sure that it's what you want and that you are not just changing yourself for a girl. I've done that before to an extent and I'm not doing it again, unless there is a valid reason for the change. I don't even know and you don't know me so I understand if you don't want to take my advice. Just don't let someone else change you unless that change is for the best. If you remember anything from this then remember this. If it's within the laws of God, nature, and man and it's what you want. Go for it!

P.S. When you said "She'll probably tell all her friends that I think I'm some sort of wizard or fairy or elf or something." That reminds me of NCIS. All those times when the crew call McGee elf lord. I know that was random but I'm actually watching NCIS right now. It's one of my favorite show and I don't want to pass up an oppourtunity to reference it.

This makes me really angry.

You have a gross misconception for what college really is. You're not going to go there and be a different person. You'll be the same person in a different setting, and if you don't hold onto the things that make you happy, you're going to be miserable. Being less of a nerd doesn't make you any more confident.

You should be following your interests to better and brighter places, finding friends who don't give a shit seeing you in your boxers, playing Zelda. And, I doubt your roommate will be cool enough to bring a girl home anyway, they never are.

So, don't set aside things from your childhood because you think they have their place in your life and that's that. Fucking Fight Night is terrible. Fuck. If you're really going to give up on an actually decent series for such a flimsy reason, get the hell out of my fandom. And don't post shit like this on a site I love for its seemingly blind Zelda patriotism, or I'll post again!

It's kind of a shame that you feel like you need to totally change yourself to fit into the crowd. I mean that's the total opposite of the message "be yourself", but whatever works for you...

Also, you might not have been all that into Zelda because there haven't been any new games coming out lately. You should consider the possibility that you will get excited when the Wii game gets closer. You should let go of Zelda if you just plain don't like it anymore, not in order to fit into the cool crowd.

Well whatever. Do what you like.

What is that horrible smell? Is it sarcasm?

Enjoy college nick. Hopefully all the clichéd views of US college that we get here in Australia turn out to be accurate.
Still, ZI won't be the same without you. Promise that you will visit the forums every now and then.

All the best with your future conquests.

I'm in my 4th year in college, liking stuff from your childhood is all the rage don't-cha-know.

I have a ringtone with Navi's "hey hey listen" go off during class today and everyone was like "WOAHZ AWESOME!!!1 C:"

But I'm also an art major, it prolly wouldn't have gone down the same in the math and science building. Maybe.

And here I was, thinking that my curse was lifted off.

Another site I recently found, another site dead. Why me, god? Why does anything I find on the internet crumble and disappear days later?

I knew it. This is an anti-Zelda site. Remember my series of comments in the "new site layout" article? I told you guys! I was right!

Alex, in those posts, you said you would never come here again because you didn't like it here and you thought we were anti-Zelda. So why is it that you are still hanging around? Nothing better to do with your life I suppose...

nick's post in no way suggests that he is anti-Zelda, he simply feels that it is time to move on. While there are people who believe that giving up on Zelda or gaming to be more popular/enjoy college or uni is shallow, others see it as a step forward; letting go of constraining/minor habits so that you can realise your full potential.

So next time you open your trap, think about what your saying in relation to the topic; that way you won't sound like a misinformed douche.

your retarded.

if you think going to college means you have to give up what you love to grow up, i feel sorry for you.

when i was five, i beat a link to the past three times, i checked the computer every day for news on The ocarina of time, same with majoras mask, same with every zelda game. i cry every time a new trailer comes out for zelda, i have a tattoo of the ocarina of time on my leg. iv been in college three years, i have a job, and everything you could need to feel "grown up", and i rep zelda hard every day of my life. if thats who you are then show it, be proud of it. dont think you have to turn into a big tough guy who doesnt play video games about saving princesses.

do what you love and fuck the rest. and i mean, dont you want someone who loves you for who you really are? and not for your fake self?

Why the heck is this on the front page... This isn't exactly the type of "Zelda news" I come to this site to read about.

I'm in college as well, and I have a very attractive girlfriend that prefers sitting and playing Ocarina of Time with me, to going shopping with her girlfriends on the weekend. Trust me, these girls DO exist! Perhaps, you should spend less time worrying about what brand and color some stupid frat boys polo shirts are, or what the skanky, "hot girl jenny," sorority chick from down the hall thinks about you, and start developing your own personality. You are who you are. If you wanna play Zelda, then do it!

That doesn't mean you can't have a cute girlfriend, or enjoy college in any other way... This whole post was stupid.

You, my friend, are going to be in for a major wake-up call.

Most of the posters here have already said the same thing, but I can't help but add my 2 cents just to re-inforce it. Because I really hope for your sake that you're not going to make the same mistakes I did and waste a whole lot of time and opportunities.

I used to think exactly like you. I thought that going to college meant that I was supposed to give up some of my 'nerdy' ways. I thought I had to change myself. I thought it was a great opportunity to have fun and 'get that hot girl'.

I've been in college for two years and you know what I've realised? It hasn't really been fun and I haven't had any girl at all. Why? Because I play Zelda? Because I'm a bit of a geek? No. It's because I was uncomfortable with myself. I thought I had to fit in with the crowd to get closer to people. Precisely because of that, I was awkward, constantly checking myself, constantly trying to be, if not cool, at least acceptable. Two years later, I know exactly just how pathetic it was.

What have I learned? As cliché as it sounds, I should just be myself. Everyone thinks they're being themselves, but it isn't until you seriously don't care what others think about the small stuff that makes YOU happy, that you really ARE yourself. And I'm certain now, that if I'd done so from the start, I would have been happier, more relaxed, more social, more confident and really able to have fun.

Is it time for you to start playing less Zelda? Perhaps. Only you can judge that. I know I've started gaming less over the past few years. But I'll tell you this: playing or not playing Zelda is not going to be what will make or break your popularity. It's going to be how comfortable you are with yourself.

And finally, I agree 100% with the poster above me: don't you want someone who loves you for who you really are and not for your fake self?

You know, Alex, I knew you had never left us. As anti-zelda as you think we are, I do not see how this post reiforces your argument. So, someone may want to leave Zelda behind. So? The fact you're still here proves that you really don't think we're anti-zelda. Hell, didn't we just win some award for our Zelda News coverage? How does that happen if were anti-zelda? I guess you can explain that one.

As to everyone else: I know you don't know Nick, but he didn't quite ZI. He'll still be posting, I think. He just may not be playing much video games. I mean, for all you guys know, that's all he does 24/7 365, so it may be good for him to take a break and "find" himself.

God damn, I love waking up in the morning and reading comments like the ones in this article.

Buckled over in laughter is really the best way to start one's day.

Hey,
first of all, good luck with college - it was an amazing experience for me and gave me the chance to do so many cool and wonderful things. However, just because you go to college does not mean you have to "grow up" or fit with the crowd. Be who you are. If you love Zelda, then by all means keep playing it! If you don't like Zelda anymore, then that's another story. But just because you want to go to college does not mean you have to quit (scale back on the time playing, maybe, but not stop all together).

When I first moved to a dorm room (junior year, ironically), i had many dorm-mates that played not only video games, but Zelda (even many cute girls). Two kids who lived next to me played constant Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros and I would often join them on gaming sessions. Another good friend would organize mario kart gaming sessions at the dorm lounge using a mega projector. It was the most fun several of us had in a long time! 5 years later (now), I still play Zelda.

In short, it's good that you realize that college does have a certain importance in life - very much so, actually. However, this is little of an excuse to stop playing zelda if you still like it. Sure, you should moderate the hours clocked (getting good grades is paramount), but stopping altogether? that's just silly.

Either way, the choice is yours and good luck!

Look, I personally think that this is just DUMB!! Why would you stop playing a game because you're going off to college? To fit in with a crowd? To get girls?

Screw fitting in! People, girls included, will like you for you!

There are people in high school, college, and even OUT of college that play video games and still live successful lives! Don't stop doing something you love because you're going to college and want to "reinvent" yourself. You could just play Zelda LESS because you're in college and have other things to do. I'm a Zelda fan, and I still have a life, and friends, and good grades, and I enjoy literature, and many other things! Now, if you're just not interested in playing anymore, that's another thing. Just don't play in that case. But if you're only doing this because you're going to college, it's just a shame. Either way, good luck in college and at least consider what I said. :D

I respect people who can put something behind them when they think that they've had their go, they've had fun, and it's time to go on. That he decides to just call it quits now when he's reached a point where he's done with LoZ, it's only natural that he will quit.

(Chise? Tim? You guys? :O)

Foolish. I like how you think no girls will like you if you play video games. Girls aren't a generic in their likes. Just because you drink beer and party does NOT mean that girls will like you.

Besides, getting drunk and partying isn't important. It's foolish even. College isn't intended for students to go nuts, change who they are, and hurt themselves. It's for making new connections, and finding out who you really are.

I wish you luck man, but I feel bad for you if you stop doing what you like just to fit in.

Hey, Zelda is freaking history man. I doubt anyone will call you a geek if you play Zelda. But hey, if you don't feel like playing, don't play.

Kinda pathetic, but if that's what you want then I wish you good luck with your new life. Just go with the flow.

In all fairness, I'm coming back to the site because you guys fixed the 800x600 issue. And I don't mind taking about a minute out of my day to come back here to see if anything interesting has been posted. Admittedly, the controversial articles are what draw me back to this damn site and keep me addicted to checking it every couple of days. While I won't deny that I'll keep coming back here every so often, my argument still stands, Zelda haters. :P

Or you could just take a break. Not be done with it for good.

I love this article so much :P

Peace Nick. I now claim total control of the Bombers. Throw a couple back for me, and bang Jenny nice and hard.

This article was pretty dumb. Just a bunch of High School Drama Queen dripple from a person that knows nothing about College.

The girls I meet at College, that find out I like Zelda, usually remember a game they used to play when they were little. I have never noticed anyone shunning me for playing a Zelda game before. If they do shun me, they probably have a better reason.

Regardless, I will miss you Nick. I hope someday you come back when you are ready.

Whatever man.
I've started playing Zelda while in college.
It even helped me widen my circle of acquaintances actually.
And no, I have no nerd friends, except online.
It's not Zelda the problem, it's you.
Not a bad thing actually, since you can work on yourself. To each their way to define their lives.

If you got tired enough of it as to put it aside like a simple childish hobby, then it's about time you moved on.

In my case, I use the Zelda games to my advantage.
Even though I had no time to play for the past few months, it's part of my hobbies and they define who I am.

I have the reputation of ''gamer'' at work, which I find funny. Even though I couldn't play much during Summer. I actually define my Summer as ''al work and no play''.
Eh, someone needs to pay my college trips.
Still started talking about random games that day at work.

Also funny when just about everyone who's ever touched a Nintendo console knows Zelda, has enjoyed it, and with that other conversations ensue.
Childhood, hobbies, breaking the tv with your Wii-Mote, going out...
People of all ages play Zelda. I know a few mothers and grandmothers who do o.o As for people my age, nuff said.
People who shun you for your interests don't deserve a social life on their own to begin with.

I've yet to see someone look down at me because I say I want to finish all the Zelda games. To that I always add it'll probably take me a few hundred years since I barely have time for myself and they laugh.
Few of us have free time, and many welcome the thought of a silent, lone night at home, drinking a beer and watching tv, reading a book,
or playing videogames.

I like going out to bars,
but it's a shallow experience to my eyes in the end.

And curiously most of my female friends have gamer boyfriends, go figure.
All in college.

Like I said, if you got tired of Zelda, it's about time you moved on. Go get the life you think is right for you.

But it stopping you from getting a social life is, excuse my prejudiced opinion, a lie to yourself.

It's only but the mere shadow of a much deeper problem.

Good luck becoming a man.

And I -am- sorry if I've completely misread the text.
I did read it twice.
It's the thought that counts.

You're trying to reinvent yourself...
College isn't exactly how you're thinking it... college is not a extension of high school, is different in almost every way...

Just because you're playing zelda in your room, and suddenly a girl shows up, and sees you, she's not gonna think you're a dork, unless... you're dressed up as link, with thick glasses and a speech impediment or something... You'll see hundreds of beautiful girls... so, believe me... you're gonna enjoy college, it's a great time of your life.

It doesn't matter if you change the way you are or not, you're still gonna enjoy it...

... By the way, I'm on my 4th year of medschool... and I still play zelda from time to time...

Congratulations on going to college. Speaking as a recent college graduate, you just need to learn how to manage your time well. Obviously your number one reason for going to college is to get an education. Join some clubs and find what interests you most and figure out what you want to do with your life. But you don't have to completely give up playing Zelda or video games in general. If you take an hour out of your day every day to de-stress with some video games or something else that's relaxing, you'll see that you'll be able to handle your work load better and you'll get better grades because you won't be so stressed out.

And speaking as a girl, as well, we know that a majority of guys play video games, and we accept that. If you get a girlfriend, make sure she cares about you for you and not for superficial reasons, and don't ever change for a girl--just be yourself!

If you find a girl that plays video games as much as you do, though, good for you!

Good luck in college!

P.S. Drunken parties are fun, but only with good friends that you trust. Going to a random party is highly overrated.

The Golden Mean: All things in moderation. It is in fact possible to enjoy video games and still be incredibly sociable and well-liked. Now, if you play video games to the point that you are unable to socialize or do school work, then you have a problem.
Get this--this generation, most people play video games sometimes. If people judge you because of a game you play--well, then they're just as insecure as you evidently are.
I'm sorry if the world has been unkind to you, and you think you have to swing your pendulum as far and as violently in the other direction as possible just to achieve self-harmony. The fact is, you don't. You'll only hurt yourself.
Let go of the "speed-runs", let go of the posting and the research about the game, let go of the theories. But never be ashamed that you enjoyed the game, because that's a betrayal to yourself.
I could rant forever about the importance of the self to an individual: self-esteem and self-confidence are essential... they, however, are NEVER the product of an attempt by an individual to conform to the arbitrary demands of popular culture. Be nice, be outgoing, be involved in group activities. Do not demean an activity that seems introverted as "nerdy" or stupid simply because you think that's what people will think is cool of you to say or beleive.
If you try to be what you think people want you to be, you'll only discover that they don't really care, they're too concerned with what you think... and so nobody ends up being real. So be real, be balanced, and love life. Pursue the things that make you happy, with relentless passion. Do not betray yourself for the sake of another person, or you'll have no self left to betray.
Obviously the scope of my post extends far beyond whether or not you play a certain game. The object of my discussion is your mindset and the mindset of our culture. It makes me sick to see people succumbing to groupthink. Be an individual. Be a man, not some snivelling coward who seeks like a dog to fulfill his master's expectations. The master ends up being anyone and everyone who also acts "cool"... and since they've also dissolved themselves in the solvent of popularity, your master becomes everyone but you, and also no one at all....
Not you, specifically... but anyone who espouses the aforementioned philosophy and applies it in their life is, in my eyes pathetic.

Re-inventing yourself into something your not is NOT the way to go. I speak from experience. The 'cool' group is all just a fad, don't care about them. If you want to change yourself for a girl, DON'T because we really hate it when people do that! If a girl likes you, she likes you for who you are, not for who you are pretending to be. A girl who really likes you wouldn't care if your still playing Zelda.
It's all about who you really are, not who you are pretending to be. Don't pretend, because, in the end, you'll really regret it. I threw away 2 years of my life doing that, and I really regret it. Don't fall for the fads.

Be who you are.... that's what it comes down to. If you love Zelda then play Zelda games. Why should you have to give something up to say be a part of the "In" crowd. You can play Zelda and still be socially involved at school. There is balance to be had. Yet some people maybe can't find that balance.

I love my video games in general, and although school comes first and marks are important, it's still good to find time to relax and play some games. Much like it's fun to hang out with friends and such and have a few drinks.

I'm just hoping that whoever thinks they should be giving up on Zelda (or video games in general) just because some people don't find it cool, or just to be social more at college/university should also be thinking about whether they are being true to themselves. If your bored and tired of a game sure, move on and find something else your more interested into, but if you enjoy something and have fun with it, it's nothing to be ashamed of or feel a need to give up in order to be more social or accepted.

Maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones who happens to have a hot girl who plays video games with me, and encourages that I continue with my interests as personally I want to make video games my career and have gone and studied at university to be a conceptual artist for video games. I'd also like to add that it's fun to get drunk and party and everything but that gets old very quickly like anything else so don't get caught up in the hubbub. My main point is that being a nerd, or a geek have in recent years become less and less of a stigma. In a lot of cases it can serve as a means to make new friends and meet knew people.

I'll be honest what a great way to meet a girl then invite her to your dorm room for some drunken Four Sword Adventure on your GCN. A game that is co-operative (something a lot of girls enjoy) and is Zelda related. It's an awesome way to introduce someone to video games. Just throwing suggestions out there that's all.

This is pathetic. Leaving behind Zelda cause your worried about your social image and you want girls to like you? Pathetic. end of story.

I agree with outlander. Don't be a douche. If you aren't getting enough girls, it's probably cause you're ugly or have no social skills. Change that instead of blaming something else. Dick.

When I first went to college, I stopped paying attention to the Legend of Zelda series entirely. That had less to do with being in college and more to do with Twilight Princess sucking. Go get drunk with people on your floor during Welcome Week and figure things out from there; college is not as intimidating as it seems.

Dude, Come on now, such blame on zelda can come only from an immature mind. dont blame the franchise bro, im a zelda fanatic myself as well as the metroid series. and u know what....i got tons of friends dated some really beautiful women, man u just have to grow up inside and learn to prioritize things in order, in my case, its god, family, money, women, and zelda. take zelda as an escape rope from the frustration that college and women can be, trust me the things u seem to want arent what you will get in reality. u dont have to give up on zelda i never did and probalby wont ever its just a past time or hobby, but not my life or my influence.

Kind of funny because playing Zelda got me my first long-term gf, got me into E3 and other industry events, and eventually helped get me a job in the gaming industry. You might want to re-evaluate your priorities.

Video games are more mainstream than you think, especially with people in 18-35 demographic. It's your choice, though. But at the end of the day, you'll still have to deal with the fact of who you really are at heart. You can't run from that forever by pretending to give it up to fit in with others, even to get girls.

Why don't you take it as happens, and stop "planning" for things you can't really plan for. It's college. You're gonna learn plans go wrong, to be flexible, and you'll have fun. And that everyone plays video games. Sounds like you might need a break from updating websites, and maybe just playing Zelda (if that's what you do). Try out other games and stuff, add some diversity.

Dude.
I went to college last year, and I wore my Zelda --and geek-- flag proud. I met a guy in my class only two weeks into school because of Zelda, and it even brought us together, and we're still (very seriously) dating. (Actually, I even broke up with my high school boyfriend because of him... I much rather preferred the guy that understood my gamer/geek side than the previous boyfriend who made fun of me and called Link "gay")
People who hide the stuff they like from other people just because they're afraid of their reputation are really missing out.
I made a TON of friends with my geekiness-- friends who are all into the same stuff as I am. And it is SO much more worth it to have real friends that understand you than the superficial type that just... don't ever get you.

...
And just to make it clear, I AM a girl. Geeky, gaming girls do exist, and it makes me so sad to see my geek-guy friends settle for your average, superficial, drama-laced girl who'll probably never really understand them for who they really are.

Do don't try to change yourself. Embrace who you are and what you like, no one likes a fake.

If that's what you think college is, then you're in for a wake up call. Zelda made you who you are, and if you want to "fit in", and "be cool", you're doing far from that. PLUS if you feel as though you have to change yourself to do those things, you're going to get the wrong attention because it's not YOU.

I love this generation of kids and their clouded ideals of growing up are. Wow, great job, and good luck.