So, I recently feeling that I was taking too long on my solo project and I made a thread about it, I was told on said thread that joining a group game jam would help me

with that. The problems with this was my Social Anxiety, low self-esteem, the fact that I had to use discord to stay in contact with a team and regularly chat.

Come a few weeks later, I made a game with several other called dunes of time.

Now you will ask: "How did you do it?" and others with Social Anxiety and Imposter's syndrome will ask: "Is it possible to learn this power?"

Well, Here's some tips for those who also are trying to cross that same broken bridge I went through.

1 - Gather your info before starting

As humans, we fear the unknown, how do we combat this? By gathering our info so it's no longer unknown. Look up everything you can about Game Jams, watch tip

videos, make posts asking about the stuff that scares you and get answers you need.

2 - Just getting in

 Starting is the hardest part, You basically have to take a leap of faith and hope you make it. Once you're in you've already cleared the biggest hurdle.

3 - Let them come to you

When you have to join a team, One good thing to do is ask for someone who needs YOU and not the other way around. If they reply to your request, then it's more clear

that they actually need you, because they actually took the time of day to reply to you. This makes it feel like this person is more approachable, removing some anxiety.

4 - If you need an extra push, Get therapy.

This one was actually a big helper, I was able to get some extra help due to already having a therapist prior to the game jam. Tell them about it and how you're scared and

they could lay out some exercises for the big day. Particularly, EMDR Therapy and Visualization therapy were the biggest weapons for me to fight my fears. Ask for those exercises in particular.

5 - Don't join a ranked Game Jam (At least not at first.)

Ranked games are basically contests, Constest mean competition, competition means more a more serious atmospear could possibly mean a more toxic environment in your team and with your social anxiety and lack of Self-esteem. THAT'S A PROBLEM. Non-ranked ones have less at stake, so their environments are mostly more chill. If you manage to make through one or two game jams, then you could try a ranked one, but only if you're mentally up to it.

6 - If all else fails, drop out.

Getting to be too much? Ask to leave in a diginfied and relaxed manner and explain the reasons why. "But what if they hate me and label me as someone who shouldn't

be worked with ever?"  Well, think of this: If you stay and decided to live with the stress that's probably going to create long term problems and sully game jams forever for you and possibly GAME DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL. If you leave why you still have your sanity intact you'll be much happier in the long run. If you're like me you might be kicking yourself for about a good few days but that will eventually blow over once the burden is off your shoulders.

7 - Remember you're there to LEARN and have FUN

I can't stress this enough. This is the essence of a game jam, to learn and have fun. Remember this, record yourself saying this and replay it over and over.  But just make

sure you do it. Sure your part of the game might look a hot mess but you realized how to manage your time better which was the true objective. To quote Miss Frizzle:

"Take Chances, Make Mistakes, Get Messy!"

I realized there were not enough topics talking about this from this perspective, So I had to make this essay.

Hoping someone else will managed to take this info and take the chance like I did.