Game night: an escape from reality
Photo: moviepilot.com
By Dayton Humbles, Tech & Gaming Columnist
I'm finishing out my last semester, so I'm definitely feeling the stress. I need something to keep that stress from driving me absolutely bonkers, something that keeps me moving forward. One of the best ways that I have found is game night. At least once a week, I join with friends to play "Pathfinder" or "Warhammer: Fantasy." I definitely don't assign these games any kind of magical power, but getting to hang out with friends and do something that's not school or work does wonders for my sanity.
Reality is a pretty cool place, but sometimes it's nice to pretend that all the things you have to do don't really exist. I don't condone just blowing off your homework or your job, but even as busy as I am, I can still find time to play some games. It gives me time to hang out with my friends without having to worry about anything else that I have to do. Unlike video games, which have the unfortunate reputation of being a 'loner activity,' game nights are inherently social.
In a lot of ways, I'm a creature of habit. One of the best things about having a game night is that you can schedule it. That's social time I can count on every week, without worrying about much changing. Of course, people have exams come up unexpectedly and fiancés come down from back home, but there's still a wonderful sense of routine. The expectation is that it will happen unless something comes up, not the other way around. Perhaps I sound too old, but I can't see anything wrong with having my social time locked down on the calendar. It makes my life simpler, and it fits in well with the college life of blocked out schedules.
If you like to play games, I think the scheduled game night experience is definitely worth investing in. One of the beautiful things about university is the ease with which you can find people who would love to join you in pretty much any activity. Gaming is no different. Even if board games aren't really your thing, it's a piece of cake to have a video game night. Some of the best times of my summer were spent playing through all of the Halo games in co-op mode with my best friend. During the semester, I join with friends regularly to play "League of Legends." It is not quite the same, but it is still a blast.
Even if you're not a gamer, scheduling social time is worthwhile. My personal favorite non-gaming option is a "family" meal. Get some of your friends together and cook (or order pizza, if that's more your thing). Games might be the best way to get people together, but food is a very close second. I suppose what I'm trying to say is this: don't go crazy, find some ways to have reasonable fun in college!
