Fantasy? If it were a person, I would consider myself merely an acquaintance. Fantasy has many layers to it, and as a 19-year-old college student in a STEM major, I have only been able to peel very few of those layers. My experience with fantasy is very much limited. Still, my rare exposure to it has only brought me a better quality of life.
To put it most simply, fantasy is something that does not exist in my real life at that moment. I would consider fantasy anywhere from a fictional world to a plot of “normal” life that I am not experiencing. In other words, fantasy was anything that was not my reality. Because of such, my experiences with fantasy have almost always become my escape from the real world.
The closest I’ve ever been with fantasy was as a young child–the most innocent and imaginative stage of life. The television shows gave me a sense of what fantasy was like. I especially enjoyed Pokémon, Mickey Mouse Club House, and Winnie the Pooh. Ultimately, they brought upon my imaginative play beyond the television. For example, I used to fantasize about being a Pokémon trainer. Like most who watched the show, I, too, had a favorite Pokémon. Probably due to my lack thereof and desire of a pet dog, my favorite Pokémon was Growlithe. Often, in the series, this Pokémon belonged to the characters known as Officer Jenny. These duos most likely resemble motorcycle-riding police officers with a canine unit. So, to achieve my dream as a Pokémon trainer, I tried to bring this character to life. Every time, I rode my bike, I imagined myself on a motorcycle with a Growlithe running alongside me. I was such a weird kid. To me, this fantasy I created was both fun and enjoyable. I consider this reoccurring experience a defining part of what I feel is my childhood.
As my life became consumed with school, fantasy faded away, and so did my imaginative play. Although called epics, plays, and historical fiction, books I’ve read in my English classes became my definition of fantasy literature. Usually, I found myself enjoying the fantasy literature; however, the assignments that came with it always made it less enjoyable. Reading fantasy became something I no longer enjoyed.
Luckily, fantasy can still be enjoyed through other forms of media. Bless technology! For example, binging on Netflix is how I often choose to spend my “me” time. Whether it’d be a dystopian TV show or a drama, they always bring me a sense of enjoyable fantasy, as if I was a young kid again. Another form of media I utilize is Youtubers’ vlogs. Like most, I feel that a Youtuber’s life is ideal at my age. They had money and always seemed so happy in their videos. However, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I use it as motivation to keep going, so I can achieve the same level of success and happiness in the near future. Both alternatives allowed for a satisfying experience with fantasy to be still accessible in my life.
My experience with fantasy was quite typical. I never became a Star Wars fanatic or anything like that. I simply enjoyed and hated fantasy based on different experiences. Luckily, most have been rewarding and enjoyable; hence, my interest in it now. I will probably never study fantasy literature, but it does not hurt to learn more about myself through the eyes of fantasy by taking this course.
Writing About Magic - Angela Pham 