When the burden of teenage life becomes too much to bear, I escape to a place that is entirely my own, a place where I am called “Mayor.”

In the world of “Animal Crossing,” I determine my own fate, and work hard to ensure the happiness of my fellow villagers…who just happen to all be animated animals.

If you are unfamiliar with the phenomenon that is “Animal Crossing: New Leaf,” allow me to introduce you to the most effective way to waste five hours while staring into the tiny screen of a Nintendo 3DS gaming system.

The game, though released in 2012, has remained popular throughout the years. It is structured as a life-simulation game, in which you adopt the role as mayor of a small town. As mayor, it is your duty to build relationships with your citizens, fuel the economy, beautify the landscape, and donate to your town’s museum. Or, if responsibility isn’t your thing, the gameplay is completely up to you. You could decide to dedicate your time to dancing, remodeling your home, or catching rare beetles and amassing virtual wealth in the form of “bells.”

As you enter into your new life, you will be introduced to a myriad of characters, many of whom differ game to game. Each “villager” has a unique personality, and moves in and out of your town as they wish. If you ignore your village for a few months, you will return to find that a few of your favorite villagers have left you and have been replaced by strangers, which is an aspect of the game that has caused me to experience guilt multiple times.

Of course, the game has its limitations, but while I am playing I often feel as if I can do whatever I wish. I may have a mortgage attached to my virtual house, but I can spend my “bells” as I please, which unfortunately resulted in me filling every corner of my house with useless furniture that really serves no function. I am aware of the fact that all of the hard work I put into “Animal Crossing” will result into nothing tangible, but I cannot express the satisfaction that comes along with running my own town.

While I make time for “Animal Crossing” during the school year, I go a bit crazy during the summer. Pent up in my room, I have spent entire days playing the game, staying up until 3 a.m to catch the rarest beetles. There was even a point in time in which I began to have dreams animated in the game’s style, and would mindlessly hum the soundtrack.

As strange as it may seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time playing a video game, I am not ashamed of my village.