My love of games started as a kid. I had a few board games, but my parents weren't super into them and my brother - at least at first - was far too young to play with me. So I'd play by myself, even if it was a game where I had to play against myself. I'd just make the best decisions I could with whatever situation I found myself in. I loved playing Skip Bo, Uno, Scotland Yard and Life.

Through college and my 20s, I didn't really play. I had kind of forgotten my passion for board games, and no one that I knew was into them. I started returning more and more to video games, another passion of mine in childhood. But board games kind of moved to the back burner.

After moving back to Chicago, I made new friends who were SUPER into board games. Great for me, but not so much for my wallet! They introduced me to classes of games I'd never played before, including Co-op games and Euro-style games. I remember being amazed at these new-to-me styles of play, and suddenly I was back into being a board game fanatic. I wanted to play everything I could get my hands on, and own some of these gems for myself.

My first purchase was Friday, a lovely little solo game that I can fit in my purse and take with me nearly everywhere. It's also fairly quick, so I'm able to play during my lunch hour at work easily. From there I wanted bigger, so I bought Arkham Horror 2E. This was a huuuuuuuuge leap in game playing for me. It's fairly complex and there's lots to keep track of. But I LOVED it! I would get together with one of my gaming friends, turn on a spooky soundtrack (the game is based on Lovecraftian lore), and we'd play well into the middle of the night.

My collection has grown over the years, and now I have a wide range of games. I typically like to purchase games that can be played as a group, or solo, just in case there's no one around to play with. Everything from Spirit Island to X-Files: Legendary Encounters to Everdell to Terraforming Mars...they've all found a home in my game collection.

Having these at my disposal during quarantine was truly soothing. It took me back to my childhood, and also gave me a way to occupy my anxious mind. If you're looking for something relaxing and fun, pick up a board game or a puzzle! If you haven't played anything since that tear-filled, angry game of Monopoly with your brother as a kid, I can assure that there are other games out there now that don't involve screaming at him about how much you hate him, and flinging the board across the room. I promise!

Do you love board games? What are your favorites?