League of Legends: tales of nostalgia and youth watching the 2014 World Championship

The years to come

Regardless, we were all pretty drained by the time Finals ended, and at that point and it was good to see a team – any team – finally hoist the trophy. Though we were all rooting for the Royal underdogs, it felt right that the Koreans should take the win for their home crowd.

We all went our separate ways after that. I fell off League of Legends for a while, Larry ran into some financial issues and had to take a couple of years off, Tim and Steven roomed together in a different dorm the following year, and we all got together from time to time.

But when the next League of Legends World Championship rolled around, we were back in the lounge again, stocked up with junk food as we watched NA go 0-10 their second week. To this day, we try to get together to watch Worlds – even just a game or two. Unfortunately, it’s become increasingly difficult as we now live many miles apart from one another.

Tim’s in grad school, Larry’s finishing his undergrad, and Steven is working an Engineering internship in Maryland, last I heard. I hold down an editorial position and write League articles dripping with nostalgia in my free time.

Between it all, we don’t have much time to coordinate. but I see them from time to time, and we all look back on those late nights and early mornings during the 2014 World Championship fondly.

We look back on the chip crumbs and the cheese slowly congealing on the greasy pizza box and peering into the wrong side of a sunrise through the shades of the lounge as our favorite teams face a challenge they won’t overcome. It was a strange marathon that I don’t think we’ll ever do again, perfect for the moment, and probably alarming at any other point in my life.

But do I ever regret it?

Nah.

Got any memories from 2014 Worlds (or anything else League-related)? Share below: I’d love to hear from you.