2012

A cover letter for a job application in 2012.

July 30th, 2012

Montreal, QC

I have been an avid video game player since at least the age of seven, and my love of games in general extends as far back as I can remember.

Among my early video game memories, I can recall receiving the Nintendo Entertainment System as a Christmas present. Mario Bros., Blades of Steel, Excite Bike, Duck Hunt, Track and Field are all among the first games I fell in love with, and I clearly remember my introduction to the great feeling of “beating” a game, and the positive effect doing so had on my burgeoning self-esteem. Since then I’ve gone through many systems, genres, and eras of video-gaming and the topic only gets more interesting to me.

I am a strong believer in the positive aspects of the interactive nature of video games, and game playing in general, compared to more passive forms of entertainment such as movies or television. I find that a good video game experience can be as rewarding as a good book and while these two genres of entertainment are obviously very different, what marks their quality is their ability to force their audience to think critically about and respond personally to the subject matter.

Besides the personal development that a quality video game can foster, video games can be an excellent platform for social development as well. The summer I was thirteen my parents enrolled me in the Explorations day camp run out of Dawson College in Montreal. After many years of failed camp experiences, the hour or two a day in which I had access to computer labs allowed me to connect with my peers in a fashion I had not been able to previously. The shared experience of working on problems and over-coming challenges together was of vital importance to my development, even though at the time it seemed I was simply having fun and making friends.

In the years after high school, attending both Marianopolis and Dawson Colleges, and before University, I witnessed over and over again the growing prevalence and relevance of video games in our culture. During the years I worked in the kitchen and on the wards of the Montreal Children’s Hospital, a common topic of conversation with my co-workers (not to mention bonding and ice-breaking material), was whatever video game had been recently released or was reportedly on the way. Even during the Winter I spent in notoriously out-doorsy Whistler, BC, video games were a constant theme, often rounding out a long day of dish washing and snowboarding in front of whatever console of the day was on hand.

After beginning university in January 2004 as a, “Mature Student” with independent status, I was accepted into the Creative Writing program at Concordia in the fall of that year. For several years I enjoyed the atmosphere of Montreal’s English Creative Writing community. Some excellent teachers, equally excellent fellow students, and a thriving community in general led to me publishing one book of my own and co-editing another. As a member of the University’s English student association I helped to organize and attended many open-mic nights, as well as expand that groups’ annual student writing anthology (Soliloquies) into a bi-annual publication.

During that time I also volunteered briefly at my local adult literacy council, helping a recent Canadian improve his literacy one summer. In the last few years I’ve also become more involved in volunteering for events related to Under Pressure, a festival that takes place every summer in Montreal, which has been very rewarding as well.

Regrettably I have not yet completed my undergraduate studies, being still approximately three classes shy of graduation. My academic interests meandered perhaps more than they should have (although I have succeeded in courses including Art, Biology, History, Philosophy, Psychology, and Mandarin). Though my love of Literature and Writing has remained in the forefront, I am obliged to admit that my university career has suffered from a lack of focus on my part.

Overall, games in general and video games especially have played an important role in shaping my life. If I find myself in a nostalgic mood, what often comes to the forefront of my mind is what video games I was playing at a particular point in my life. The Oregon Trail, Sim City, the Civilization series, Wolfenstein 3D, and so many others since have been vital milestones along the way, and I’m sure that’s a fairly common sentiment for others of my generation as well.

Games are one of the few things in life that are truly universal, present in all cultures in some form, and a beautifully varied expression of various aspects of any given culture.

My sincere thanks for taking the time to read this letter. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any further information. I hope that I have done an ample job making my enthusiasm about this prospect clear!

Best regards,

Timothy Case