This week, I began what will hopefully be a long string of medical school admissions interviews. My first two interviews were at Wright State University near Dayton, OH. Everything went well enough, but there's an interesting gaming-related story that came from the experience:

My first interviewer was very matter-of-fact, by the book. He wasn't unpleasant, but hardly what you'd call warm. Everything I said was written down meticulously; my grades, employment, campus involvement, family life, etc. Then he began asking about my hobbies. I told him that, aside from reading, I spend a majority of my free time playing video games. It helps me relax, unwind, stretch my imaginitive thinking... blah, blah, blah. But no writing down. Only when I mentioned volunteering on the Gamer Within writing staff did he become interested and take notes on his little yellow pad, as if writing (or some form of journalism, rather) legitimized my interest as more than a childish whim.

My second interviewer, who (by chance) happened to be the dean of admissions, was infinitely warmer. He smiled, took no notes, and was genuinely interested in the conversation. The interview took the same route as the first, covering the same topics. When we came to the hobbies portion, I told him about video games and Gamer Within in much the same way that I did the first. As soon as I finished talking, I could tell he was interested. His first question (with some parphrasing) was, "Knowing that you're speaking to someone who has never picked up a video game controller in his life, please describe your favorite video game, character, or genre." I wasn't prepared for that question, and I don't think he was prepared for my response. Suffice it to say we had quite an in-depth discussion on The Legend of Zelda, from it's entertainment and story-telling appeal to it's value as an art form. I actually had a great time.

So I guess you never know what to expect from these things. I'm always interested in hearing other people's perspectives on gaming, whether they're familiar with the medium or not. Anyone else have a similar story or experience?