Video games are a common form of entertainment for many young people, including the students of Fenwick. However, it is important to recognize that many video games go beyond their entertainment capabilities and provide opportunities for individuals, especially students, to decompress and unwind from their busy schedules. When asked whether students can benefit from gaming, Mr. Wieckiwicz, Moderator of the E-Sports club, responded “Yes, it gives students an outlet in this crazy and stressful world. Gaming is as much of a hobby as reading books.”

Various Fenwick students stated that they play games to have a break from class. Successful students say that they will only play games when there’s nothing else to do, during downtime between lectures or assignments, or when they are allowed to. It is important to note, playing games during class or while working on homework is not ideal; this is a prime example of multitasking, which many people cannot do effectively.

Are students able to multitask efficiently? Harvard Health says that only about two percent of people can multitask without harming the quality of either task, and those who are not part of that two percent will make more mistakes, miss important aspects of either task, and are less likely to retain what they are learning. Gaming while working on assignments, or during class, can cause a student to miss on important details during a lesson, and could hamper their ability to learn effectively.

Overall, many video games can be used for students’ relaxation. Hence, playing games during downtime could be a welcome break for mentally exhausted students, and allow them to be more focused later in class.