Kleptomaniac14, who usually is just nicknamed “Klepto”, is a friend I have from around Wolfsburg, Germany, that I met online in a game less than a year ago, and I always was curious which things in their life were different from mine. There were obvious differences, such as our location and backgrounds, but I wanted to dive deeper into what things were like in their life.
Kelpto is a 14-year-old only child living with their mum and dad. He says that while he has occasional disagreements with his parents, his relationship with his family is okay. He has a small group of friends in school, which he talks to occasionally, but he has many friends online, so that’s where he spends most of his socialising time. I asked if there were any reasons, such as being socially awkward in person or something, but he said that he just doesn’t like many of the people in his school and that the people he has met online are more fitting for him.
Klepto seems to dislike school quite a bit, complaining that “Teachers expect too much from me, I am an ordinary student […] and I think I’m an okay student, not the next Einstein.” I am unsure as to how exactly the education system works in Germany or if it is any different to Australia’s at all; however, from what I’ve heard, I do think that Klepto is a good, talented student. I asked them why they seemed to be so doubtful, and they responded: “I don’t think I am being unconfident and that I am holding myself back. I think I am just understanding of my limits, and I know what I can and can’t do.” What I got from this after looking back over the messages is that they just don’t feel confident enough to try harder, to reach out of their comfort zone. I do think that Klepto needs more encouragement from their friends or family to understand that they should push themselves harder because they do seem talented and smart, just not willing to use that talent.
When they get older, Klepto says they think they will have a job in one of the sciences. They don’t know which one yet, but probably whichever one they get the highest grades in. He also says he is interested in travelling, wanting to visit other places in Europe and take photos when he is old enough. His family aren’t willing to do this yet, which I can understand as travelling can be a bit pricy.
Often at home, Klepto spends his time gaming or drawing, but predominantly gaming. He apparently just doodles on paper every now and again when he gets bored of gaming, usually just drawings of random people, patterns or objects. He also takes an art class, but mostly does it just because he finds the class something fun and enjoyable. He only seemed interested in drawing and painting, so when he had to do other things in that class that weren’t drawing or painting, he said, “I’m rolling my eyes at this. I don’t want sculptures or other things. I am only wanting drawing. This is what I find exciting, not this sculpture or other things.”
Klepto is fairly new to gaming, saying that they started playing games only a little while ago when they finally got their computer (which they had been wanting for quite a long time because they were constantly bored at home and desperate for something new to pass the time). On their PC, Klepto primarily plays multiplayer online games such as Roblox or Minecraft: “They are classics, and I can play them with online friends and meet new people like I met you.” They also said that they like the Total War series, saying they like making battle strategies and fighting.
Their biggest gaming achievement was when they beat Minecraft. Klepto likes strategy games, for they make him think and use his brain, but he isn’t a fan of Roblox games in the “Tycoon” or “Simulator” categories, saying, “It’s too boring. I don’t want to sit here waiting to do nothing. I want something that has action or excitement from start to finish.” Adding on to that, they say their favourite part about gaming is that is just fun, and they find it a good place to socialise. This surprises me, as video games typically can have quite a few toxic players in them, but I guess Klepto either has been lucky to avoid them and is talking to the right people in games, or is just straight-up unphased about them. They haven’t got a wide range of games to play yet, but Klepto says they want to try out more. Apparently, he is excited to save up money for the Ace Attorney games, saying, “I don’t think I will be a lawyer, but I may well try it out in a game that isn’t real.”
Kleptomaniac14 says that they got their name from when their teacher used the word Kleptomaniac, and they found it a very cool word. This was also around the time they got their computer, so when the time came around for them to make a username, that’s what they chose. The 14 at the end was just added on randomly (probably because Kleptomaniac on its own was taken), but I like to think it’s because they are 14. I’ve turned it into a running joke that they need to delete their account and make a new one called Kleptomaniac15 on their birthday, which is coming up soon.
Klepto is a good person who cares about his friends, tries to have fun all the time, and is quite social online. If they put some of the confidence that they have on the internet into the real world to push themselves to try more things outside of their comfort zone, they have an amazing future ahead of themselves. Believe in yourself!
