P.ART | Emma Hagen@Littlesislatias
It took a while for things to settle and for things to finally sink in, but it has finally dawned on me that this weekend was real and all my hard work has paid off. You might see me on stage and think I'm arrogant or cocky, but I call it deserved confidence. I have given up so much of my life for this game.
I have driven myself into poverty, into exhaustion, into depression, into wages a third of Norwegian minimum wage because it allowed me to play Pokemon. I have quit my job to play this game twice. I have eaten frozen pizza and plain baguette at Regionals because I've been worried about next month's rent.
A lot of these have been bad decisions, but I have been allowed to do them because I am young, dumb and have a support network that has my back if things don't work out.
Therefore I want to take a second of your time to express how incredibly thankful I am for this game, for my journey and for everyone involved.
I want to thank @NathanHPTCG for being one of the best testing partners in the game despite us never actually playing games, I want to thank @KruegerTcg for letting me stay at their home for longer than anyone should ever stay for free, I want to thank @lampfey and Lia for opening up their home to me despite all three of us being sick before or after events, I want to thank @SmokKrag for being by my side as a great friend in both this journey and this Top Cut. And I want to thank @SticksPTCG. He was there for my first Day 2 in Gdansk two years ago with the first and last time we ever same 60'd, he was there as my Top 4 opponent cheering me on in my life's biggest tournament and he was there for me when we were roommates when I slowly but surely completely lost all financial foothold due to the Danish job market.
I appreciate these people so so so much that it's difficult to get it across in words. This tournament has let me go down in history and it would not be possible without the support from so many people across the globe.
Things have been difficult, but at the end of the day I love my life, I love myself, I love my dark voice, I love my friend AND I LOVE THIS GAME SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!
