# What is it like to be a professional esports player?

"I want to be a professional esports player!" — maybe you or your friend said it once, or maybe it's like a vague thought strolling around in your head sometimes. But not all players become pros, and not everybody knows how it actually feels to be in the shoes of someone, who has your dream job. Read further and you'll know some aspects of their lives.
## Thousands of training hours
The first thing that pro-players need to deal with is lots and lots of training. It's never enough, and every player, especially in big organizations, has scheduled hours of everyday training. Except for weekends and vacations, which are rare, if you play a popular discipline with many official tournaments.


It would be silly to think that you can master one game, become a pro, and just earn money by winning opponents one by one. Top players improve and sharpen their skills and knowledge every day because developers release updates with game changes quite often. And besides that, regular training leads to success in almost every sphere of our lives: work out, education, any hobby, and so on.

Plus, to be a professional esports player means to have a demanding job with close attention and responsibilities for your actions, behavior, and colleagues. You'll have to train not only in-game skills but communication, patience, self-sufficiency, and other skills that every ordinary position needs.
## Adaptability
I want to pay your attention to the significant trait that a professional esports player has. It's adaptability. As a pro, you'll need to react fast not only to in-game events but be able to feel comfortable in different conditions without stress or at least its demonstration. Whether it's roster changing, travel, losing streak, or well-deserved praise and fame. It may even touch your common food: during tournaments in foreign countries you don't have access to the familiar ingredients and not every meal is tasty. Also, there might be a paragraph in your official contract, prohibiting specific food or bad habits. If you're a fan of onion/garlic or like to do unpleasant/painful stuff, when you feel sad or angry — you're not a teammate of a dream and probably won't play long in one lineup.

Jetlags, viruses. Not all the beds are super-comfy, and roommates are sleepy and quiet. While you still have to perform your best the next day. It will be one of your main responsibilities — to be mind-flexible and adapt fast to everything.

## Money and Fame

These things many keep in mind, watching famous professional players winning big tournaments with solid prizes and buying, for example, houses or cars. The opportunity to be in the spotlight captivates amateur players like moths to the flame but the happiness from these benefits is tricky.

There are many pros and cons. Sure, you'll be able to have anything you want if you're successful and very talented. Like in any other sphere. But what if you want to be famous but not good enough in the game? Raise your eyes to the first two sections and achieve them. What if you are good at any skill needed but still don't have money and fame? You should keep working and improving yourself, don't give up. Sometimes it's just luck and a professional team or player can notice you due to memes.

"How did I get to know Duster? He was making memes about my team and posting on social media to make fun of us. That's how." Filipe Astini, Dota 2 team B8's coach and manager on the case of how they invited Heitor "Duster" Pereira in the roster.

All those esports stars who reached fame and solid incomes spent years of hard work, they didn't get it in one day, or just by mastering the game, you should accept it.

## "I don't wanna go to school, I wanna play!"

Leaving school education and not having plans to go to university is not a good idea, even if you're 100% sure of your future goal in esports.
First of all, many successful pros studied alongside training in the game. It's hard but real esports athletes aren't afraid of difficulties.

Having a good education will help you sort through contracts from organizations or sponsors, so you won't be cheated on. Plus, in case you think of switching the course of your career (being a coach or analyst), you'll need to have specific skills and be educated. Moreover, it's important to know a foreign language, at least English, if you're not a native speaker.
In 2016 was a case when the whole IG Vitality squad's visas were declined because one player, InJuly, didn't have finished high school education and other players didn't have studied in university. It was sorted out later but it was unpleasant and cost time and money for organizers of the event.

Many organizations offer specific esports high education and courses. Several USA and Asian universities have scholarships for gamers, and the University of Staffordshire in England has a bachelor's degree in esports. There even was news about Tencent planning to build a whole new city, including a university, dedicated to esports. You should think in this direction and better not skip any classes.

You can also educate yourself by reading esports news, watching pro games and training at esports platform with different disciplines: https://weplay.tv/.
## Social opinion
You'll have to think about what you're saying and writing. Every famous pro-player has some special rules of communication which they have to follow. Whether it's an interview or private social networks — you have to filter and control your words. You're an example for many-many amateur players, and it's better to be a good example.

You will be judged for every word and move, both good and bad ways. Especially your moves in the game: there are thousands of viewers who will discuss your triumph or failure. So, every professional esports player deals with social opinion every day. It's easy when you're an educated extravert who loves fame. And when it's otherwise — you should train it. When you're an awesome master of your role, everybody wants to know more about you and your skills or secrets and increased attention with many interviews/comments/etc. will follow you.

I didn't have the intention to scare you — it was an everyday aspect of a professional esports player's life. Are you feeling willing to reach the edge of an esports career no matter what? Great! I will wait and maybe someday write an article about you. Good luck!