One of the weirdest things to happen to freshman Wilson Zhang was when he was indulging in one of his many hobbies, and his dog started laughing at him.

“I was playing Fortnite,” Wilson said. “I was about to pick up a legendary item, and then someone killed me in the game, and then my dog started laughing at me. It obviously wasn’t a real laugh, but it sounded like it for a second.”

Wilson has been playing video games for a while now. His love for them started when he was a kid, but it only got serious when he started meeting other people online. Wilson’s favorite part about this is the competition.

Wilson has met some of his best friends through video games, but these friends are also his biggest competition.

“I think it helps me be a better player,” Wilson said. “It makes it a lot more fun.”

Just like video games, Wilson has only been flirting with his other hobbies until recently. Weightlifting has been a big part of his life ever since the pandemic. Wilson started lifting weights after he simply just got bored and wanted something to do.

Wilson has been lifting for almost three years and doesn’t plan to stop. He says it’s because he likes to see how far he can go and the process along the way.

“I like the progression,” Wilson said. “I guess you just get bigger, and it makes me feel better.”

Wilson’s progression doesn’t all come down to lifting weights, though; his diet also plays a huge role.

As anyone who is building muscle knows, it is very important to eat right during such a critical time in the body’s changes in strength.

“One of my other hobbies is eating,” Wilson said. “I need a high-protein diet because it helps repair my muscle fibers and makes me grow stronger.”

Wilson lifts extremely often, to the point where it’s his lifestyle. Wilson’s time isn’t just taken up by lifting weights, though; video games also take up a significant portion of his time.

Wilson likes to play various games, including the aforementioned Fortnite and Roblox. Adopt Me is Wilson’s favorite game to play on Roblox.

“I love having kids,” Wilson said. “You can just adopt a ton of kids and have them all work for you.”

Though this might seem like a simple time-waster, Wilson has found comfort through games like these. 

Wilson’s passion for video games comes from his boredom during the pandemic in 2020 when he also met some of his best friends.

“We would just play [online] together,” Wilson said. “It really gave me something to do.”

Wilson gets a dopamine rush every time he logs on to play. Especially in Fortnite where Wilson spends most of his video game career.

“I like when I get to open up a legendary chest,” Wilson said. “The sound and glow from it are mesmerizing. Also, getting to the final zone and winning the game are probably some of the best parts in my opinion. I feel excited when I get to be the battle royale master of Fortnite.”

Challenges in the game are also a big part of why Wilson plays the game, especially in the final portion. The final zone is the most competitive part because the best players usually get there, along with Wilson.

One time, when Wilson was about to win the game, he was knocked out at the very last second and lost the game. Wilson recalls that his dog came in and made a sound that resembles a laugh.

All in all, Wilson finds his passion through many different activities, even some that require getting ridiculed by your pet.

“I still have no clue why it sounded like a laugh,” Wilson said.