For Menlo students juggling school, extracurriculars and sleep, video games can provide an outlet for socializing, community and an escape from a busy life. However, the hours spent on gaming can add up fast, pushing assignments and in-person interaction to the side. For most students, the goal isn’t to stop playing video games altogether, but to find a balance between them and other activities within chaotic schedules.
Senior Maxwell Johnson, and leader of Menlo’s Video Game Club, maintains long-standing friendships through gaming. He previously lived in Texas and regularly games with his old friends to stay connected. “Some of my closest friendships I’ve built through gaming,” Johnson said. “A good portion of the time we’re talking about things that happen at each of our schools, and in life in general, [not gaming].”
Johnson also believes that video games can create a team environment similar to sports within a school community. In October, the Video Game Club hosted a Clash Royale tournament that attracted roughly 30 Menlo students.
Johnson feels that utilizing games to connect with others over a shared interest creates friendly competition, leading to lasting friendships. “It’s similar to sports where competition fosters connection. Games like Clash Royale add this sense of camaraderie,” he said.
Sophomore Keira Lew agrees that gaming strengthens friendships, but can lead to bandwagon behavior. Lew started playing Roblox out of interest but also as a way to fit in. “I used to watch videos of YouTubers playing and I thought it was a super fun thing, and I didn’t want to be left out. […] If you don’t have friends [to play with] it’s kind of lonely, and I wouldn’t enjoy it as much,” Lew said.
Lew now plays Roblox a few times a week, mainly because it is a fun way for her to connect with friends. “Most of the games I play are teamwork and collaboration games. If you don’t [play with] friends, they’re kind of lonely and I wouldn’t enjoy them as much,” Lew said.
For senior Benjamin Chock, it’s most important to find balance between playing video games and other activities. “I feel like in moderation, with controlled usage, are a perfectly fine thing to [play]. I would agree that spending eight hours on your computer […] is definitely not the most healthy thing,” Chock said.
Chock believes that moderation is critical because video games are often designed to prompt players to spend money on in-game
purchases to improve their performance. “You just have to understand that the game wants you to spend money. Most [companies] are making you spend your money to level up and keep playing the game, which is kind of addicting.”
Upper School Computer Science teacher Douglas Kiang agrees that every mechanic behind a game is intentional, whether it is beneficial or harmful. “Some games are really good for critical thinking […] [and others] are a way to relax. So if you’re agitated, spending a few minutes playing a puzzle game […] can actually help calm you down a little bit. I think that’s important,” Kiang said.
Kiang believes that games, like all other activities, should be played in moderation. “I don’t think there’s anything intrinsically bad about games,” Kiang said. “I think that if you are playing the game in excess […] [and] if you’re using the game as a way to [avoid] doing other things, then I think you should look carefully at that [behavior].”
