My Stardew Journey // week 1

Spring 1-7, 20XX

I really can’t wrap my head around the fact that it’s already been a week since moving to Pelican Town. Or perhaps I can’t accept that it’s ONLY been a week. Honestly, quite a lot has happened in this short period.

Getting off that bus last Sunday, I was… nervous, to say the least. While a part of me was excited for the chance to start anew in such a different place, the other part of me was terrified, and for the exact same reason.

But even with those nerves, I knew that I had made the right decision. I wasn’t gonna spend another second rotting away in that Joja cubicle. I’m not quite sure what my purpose is yet, but I know for a fact it isn’t that.

At the bus stop, I was greeted by an unfamiliar face. The woman, who introduced herself as Robin, helped me unload my minimal luggage and carry it over to the farmhouse.

Upon seeing the farm, I was… a little dismayed. I knew it had been uninhabited for several years, but I hadn’t expected it to be in such a state of disrepair.

However, I was reassured that with enough time, effort, and love, the farm would be restored to its original beauty. There’s a lot of weight on my shoulders with this. We’ll see how I do.

Stepping out of the farmhouse was a familiar face. I very vaguely meeting Mayor Lewis once, back when I was a kid visiting Grandpa. He seemed to me, too, greeting me with a friendly handshake and an even friendlier smile.

Lewis and Robin stuck around to chat for a little while longer. As they left, Lewis gave me some seeds to start out, and Robin tasked me with going around and introducing myself to the townsfolk. As someone with social anxiety, this was… a tall order.

The farmhouse is pretty neat, at least. A little dusty, and definitely pretty small, but I can imagine getting cozy in it once I’m settled.

To start off the next day, I tilled some dirt, planted some parsnip seeds, and did some watering. Grandpa had left behind a good selection of tools, all of which are in pretty decent condition.

I have quite a ways to go if I want to get used to the whole manual-labor farm-work thing. I’ve always been more of an indoor person, so it’s going to be an adjustment. Still, I welcome any sort of change at this point.

Over the week, I’ve made some attempts at exploring different skills. The one I enjoy most so far is foraging. As it turns out, there are a lot of resources practically in my backyard! And… all over the town, of course.

Fishing, too, is one I’ve picked up, much to my surprise. I never really cared much for it in the past, but with some encouragement, I was willing to give it a try. As it turns out, I’m actually pretty good at it!

In fact, fishing is how I’ve spent the majority of the week. Willy, the local fisherman and shop owner, will buy just about anything I catch, and the local waters are absolutely teeming with all sorts of fish. I can see this becoming a hobby in the near future…

Then, there’s the mines. After a landslide was cleared out, I decided to poke around the mine entrance. There, I met Marlon, a member of some sort of “adventurer’s guild.” He informed me that the mines were packed with valuable resources, but warned me that resources wouldn’t be all I’d find…

Then he gave me a sword.

Well, I took the leap of faith and ventured in. I’ve never even held a sword before, and it’s clear I was way in over my head. That mine is full of these little green monsters, and they pack a punch.

I don’t think I’ll be going back there. At least not until after I’ve shaken off the heebie-jeebies.

Anyway, meeting the townsfolk wasn’t too bad. Most were super friendly, with only a few being a little more standoffish (or rude, in a few cases). I’ve really hit it off with Emily. As it turns out, we share a love of gemstones, and a whole lot of other things! I’ve spent a lot of time chatting with her this week.

There’s also Leah, my neighbor to the south. She’s been really fun to talk to as well, and we’ve spent a few evenings just chatting at the saloon. She’s given me a ton of tips about foraging— apparently she does a lot herself!

But most importantly, I’ve made a new best friend: a kitty! My neighbor, Marnie, found a little cat wandering around the farm, and she asked if I’d be willing to take him in. Needless to say, Milo and I are going to be the best of friends.

I think I’m going to start logging my days here, at least weekly. I’ve journaled in the past, but it’s been a long time since I’ve done so consistently. And what better place to start?

One more thing, since this entry’s running pretty long already.

There’s a big locked building near the center of town. According to Lewis, it used to be the community center, but it’s been abandoned for years. Joja’s been trying to buy it to build a warehouse, and Lewis is getting pretty close to caving and selling it to them. Still, it seems there’s quite a bit of sentimental value along with it.

Lewis took me inside, and here’s where the strange part comes in. I swear on my life, I saw something. A little green creature, but not like the ones in the mine. It vanished before Lewis could see it, unfortunately (he probably thinks I’m crazy…).

Well, after Lewis left, I swept the building one last time. That’s when I found a note. It was covered in these strange symbols… perhaps writing? It wasn’t like any language I’d ever seen before, though…

I’d like to investigate further, but for now, I’m hitting the hay. It’s only about 4pm, but I’ve already run out of energy. Farm work is exhausting!

Here’s to new beginnings.

~ Maddie

(Next entry)

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Hey y’all! Little author’s note for ya:

When 1.6 was released, I had the idea to start this game from the beginning, leaving my seven year (holy crap) save behind as a memory. I know I’m super late, but I’ve finally decided to follow through on that! And to supplement it, I’ve decided to start this little writing project of mine.

So stay tuned if you’re interested in seeing more of my farmer’s adventure! It’s definitely not going to follow any sort of regular release schedule (college and work are kicking my butt), but I am going to try to stick with it!

Thanks for reading! <3