“Pressure Makes Diamonds”

Hey Animated World!

 Friday morning I walked into a class studying some last second notes for a quiz. The Professor walked in and said, “Happy Friday everyone, no quiz!” Yup, it was going to be that type of day!

Friday night, after classes and a long nap, my Overwatch group chat rang with the message “Heroes Assemble” which is our sign to get on PSN. I started off the night at 2764SR (Platinum rank is between 2500-2999SR, Diamond is 3000-3499SR) thinking just to have a solid positive night.

It didn’t start off too great with losing our first match. Then we won our next two games, followed by a tie. We were going to call it a night after the tie. I had rose back up into the 2800s at somewhere around 2810 and I was ready to call it a night. However, one of our solo queuers (we were in a four-stack so we had two solo queues) from our tied game wanted to group up with us. We said sure because he had played a really good Genji during our game. So one of my friends, our new grouped up played, and myself decided to keep on going. We rattled off three wins in a row and then lost one. Once again, I was ready to call it a night. I looked at my SR and I had just creeped back into the 2900s (2920 I believe). I thought to myself, well I’m playing really well tonight (I was playing really well with D.Va but I was having a career night with Mercy) and I’m close to potentially leaving myself off near Diamond. My buddy said he’d keep playing and our newly made friend was good to keep going as well. Looking at the clock that displayed 2:00AM, I just said “Yolo” and started the search. We played at Oasis and apparently I played some lights out Mercy according to Overwatch. Usually I go up 20-30 SR points in a win. For what ever reason, I shot up 47SR points after our Oasis game. Sitting at a new career high at 2967SR, I said “If I can just win this next one, I think it will be enough.” Two of the players in our Oasis team also decided to group up with us so we had a five-stack going into the next game. We found a match, I locked in Mercy, and I just remember telling myself to play like if it was any other match.

We were defending first and things were not looking the greatest. Two times we forced the enemy team to overtime and they managed to get the first two points in overtime at Dorado. We finally got a stop right after the second checkpoint. We then went on the attack and once again I played Mercy. I have to say, the first few minutes were tense, but after the first checkpoint we started rolling. Our newly acquired teammates were playing great, and my buddy along with myself were playing some great support. We got to the second check point with just a few meters left. I had no idea how much SR I was going to gain, but I told myself, “that’s all that is left to get to Diamond.” Diamond rank was a reach goal of mine that many times seemed unobtainable was a few meters away. With a revive and tactical visor in hand (Mercy’s and Soldier76’s Ultimate), we pushed the payload to its destination. We won. At 3’oclock in the morning.

I tried to act as normal as I could on the mic. However, to myself all I was thinking was, “I think I got it.” I knew it was going to be close, but their was just that feeling. Then came the moment of truth. As I watched my SR go up from the victory, the numbers started to slow toward 2990SR. With a small prayer the numbers stopped exactly at 3000SR followed by a “Promotion!” text on my screen. Finally, I was Diamond.

Yes, I squealed on the mic with three random people in a team chat. I could careless.

I know it’s just a game. I know all that changed to the mere eye was my little icon from a Platinum to Diamond icon. But that’s not what I saw or what I currently see.

I saw the post I wrote about Season 2 on animated, especially the part about my self assessment during Season 2. I saw that disappointment I had that after placements I was ranked in Gold at 2100SR thinking to be ranked low Platinum. The lowest placement rank among my friends. I saw the recent headaches I had in January because it took me a while to readjust to the D.Va nerf and I was playing horrible. I saw the pressure of trying to become a Diamond player finally be lifted.

Yea, I know, it’s just a game. But it meant a lot more. It was that realization, when you put your mind to something no matter how unobtainable you may think it is, it can happen. And it will happen when you least expect it. This is a small example of this, but an example nonetheless. It was a more than enough for me.

You know you’re a nerd when it’s 5’oclock in the morning and you can’t sleep because of excitement from a video game achievement. XD

I did end up getting some sleep and woke up to some congratulation text messages from friends. Then it was time to start up Overwatch and continue to climb. Only this time, for the first time in a long time, the pressure was off. I noticed it right-away. I was in a good mood on the mic the entire time, and I wasn’t trying super hard to make plays that weren’t there. We ended up having a solid day scoring 5 wins and only 2 loses.

I know I focused a lot on myself in this post, but that’s not what I want to leave the message of the post as.

My point is to remember, in your highest of stress or pressure moments you may go through.

Pressure makes Diamonds.

Literally and Figuratively.  😉

-Animated

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