Lou-core
Hi, I am Louise, and I am 19 years old (2021). And this is my story about how ACNH saved my life.
My first-time playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons happened shortly before Denmark was first put into lockdown in 2020 (March). My best friend had brought her Switch to school with her, and I instantly fell in love when she showed me her Animal Crossing island.
“The first screenshot I ever took!”
But as lockdown slowly progressed, I began watching ACNH videos on YouTube and it made me fall in love even more. August comes around and I finally bought my Switch and my very first Animal Crossing game.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons saved my life. With the real-world pandemic happening around me at all times, I find that my morning routine exists only in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, on the fictional island that I have been grooming and maintaining for the past 5 months or so.
My social anxiety gets really bad as soon as I step out the front door. And it is very difficult to know what will happen next in my life. Sometimes, thinking about the day tomorrow, is enough to give me a panic attack.
I am having a hard time forcing myself into creative tasks and real-life errands. Although I am spending most of my days doing nothing, I am exhausted; my mental and physical energy are under constant barrage from the stress of world-shaking news and continuous bad news.
Celebrating with villagers
Yet, I have not given up, and that is thanks to ACNH. I have made friends and gotten to chit-chat with my amazing neighbours every single day. It is a way for me to visit friends during a time of quarantine (2021) again, without having to feel excluded.
It has given me back some life joy that I thought I had lost forever.
The new normal
My new normal has become a collection of moments redecorating my island, digging up hybrid flowers or catching bugs and fish for Blathers. And through the huge ACNH community, I have met some of my closest, most beloved friends, and I cannot explain in words how thankful I am for them.
Lou-core
I have been watching my island grow and seen how different themes blend in with one another, creating the perfect space for me to let my creativity flow freely. My island is now a mix of Cottagecore, Goblincore, Naturecore and Forestcore – but whenever someone asks, I just call it Lou-core – to make it more personal.
Thank you for taking your time to read how ACNH have saved my life and shaped me into a better person.