If you are a fan of eSports and video gaming, you may be familiar with Rust – a game of survival and endurance. Sure, it can be plenty of fun and offer all sorts of thrills as you battle the elements – and other players, but it can also teach you a few life skills along the way.
Planning and Strategy
This is a game where you start with literally nothing and have to work your way up. You’ll need to find and gather all the tools and resources you need to build a shelter, eat – and defend yourself.
This needs serious strategic thinking and lots of planning. You’ll need to prioritise what resources to gather and pick the best location for your base. You’ll also need to try and predict your future needs and make plans for immediate and long-term survival… helping you to develop your critical thinking skills and foresight.
How it Helps in Life
Being strategic when you make your plans is important in every single area of your life. It’s great to help with project management, financial planning, and setting yourself personal goals. It helps you learn how to prioritise tasks and allocate your resources more efficiently, and it can lead to better planning and decision-making skills in real life.
Resource Management
Resource management is a massive element of Rust. You’ll need to be able to efficiently manage your inventory and balance your need for food, materials, and tools. You have the option to scavenge for items – and even find sites to open Rust cases on to get more in-game items – and decide exactly what you need to improve your experiences and chance of survival. Effective resource management is incredibly important for building a secure base and surviving in a demanding environment.
How it Helps in Life
Proper resource management can be a very valuable skill in both your personal and professional life. Whether you need to manage your bills and finances, balance your work tasks, or work with resources in your job, the ability to properly manage limited resources is a great life skill to have.
Problem-Solving and Adaptability
Rust is a game with a constantly changing environment that is always filled with unpredictable challenges – from enemy players to environmental dangers. If you want to solve these problems, you’ll need to get creative and come up with solutions. Think of ways to protect yourself and your base – and see if you can outsmart everyone else so you’ll be the last man (or woman) standing.
How it Helps in Life
Life is nothing if not unpredictable. Being a good problem solver and being flexible and adaptable are hugely important in this world. Whether you’re facing tricky times at work, having spousal issues or just trying to fight through life in general, creativity can be very useful!
Teamwork
If you’re more of a lone wolf, you may find that doesn’t work so well in Rust. No matter how self-sufficient you consider yourself, teamwork can really help you along the way. If you can build a team, form alliances and work with others, you’ll have a much better chance of surviving. You need to get on with others, communicate, delegate and muck in if you want to make it out alive.
How it Helps in Life
As they say, teamwork makes the dream work. That is as true in life as it is in Rust. Whether you’re part of a family or part of a larger working team, you’ll need to be able to get on and work well with others.
Resilience
Trying to make it out of the game alive isn’t easy. You’ll definitely get battered along the way – and it won’t go smoothly. The path of true Rust never did run smooth! You’ll lose your progress, lose your resources and face all sorts of setbacks. This will definitely require patience and resilience. You might get knocked down, but that’s OK… as long as you get back up again!
How it Helps in Life
In my opinion – and experience, resilience and perseverance are two of the most important qualities in life. Life might not go the way you want. You might lose money, lose a job – or simply have things not go the way you wanted or expected. Sometimes you need to learn to take it on the chin – and keep going. It’s not how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep getting up again!
