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They say the average person spends an average of 6 hours a day in front of a television or computer screen. Meanwhile, the average college students have at least 12 credit hours a semester for them to sort through already.
Where do video games fit into this? Well this reporter can safely say that I spend a great amount of time playing video games on my Xbox 360 and my computer as a way to relax and unwind, once my work is ‘finally’ done.
“You’d never know that the U.S. economy was under distress by looking at the video games industry sales figures,” NPD analyst Anita Frazier said. Video games are just as popular as ever, even for the typical fiscally challenged college student.
While some say that having a video game distraction around causes a drop in grades, my grades have not suffered in the least bit.
I have never gotten worse than a 3.2 for my GPA in any semester while I’ve been at UNC Charlotte. However, moving away from myself, I wanted to find out how big a part video games play in UNCC students’ daily lives.
The only way to do this was getting out there and getting other students’ opinions on this topic. Video games have become so popular, that it is safe to say millions play them every day.
I was sure that there would be many gamers here on campus that played a wide variety of different games. The students who were interviewed showed me that video games may not be very important to them, but they still enjoy playing them whenever they get the chance.
Just like the UNCC’s diversified student body, each of the students who were asked liked completely different games from many different gaming consoles. Junior Landon Farmer had this to say: “They’re [video games] not a big part of my life, but I still play them.” Sophomore Matt Wood added this as well: “Old school games are my favorite, such as ‘Mario Tennis,’ ‘Donkey Kong 64,’ and ‘Mario Kart.’”
Finally, senior Ryan Huffman said this about video games: “They’re not very important [to me] but they help pass the time. It’s also more fun with a large group of people playing.
I’d have to say my favorite games are the entire ‘Mortal Kombat’ series.”
For all the gamers on campus looking to become more involved, in case you didn’t know, there is also a student organization that is dedicated to gaming here at Charlotte.
That is the “UNCC Gamer’s Alliance.” According to their Facebook page, they would like members who are interested in designing, playing, and just video games in general.
They also are a very active group, hosting various “Game Nights” where specific games are played by the club with prizes awarded to the best gamers.
If there are any questions about this group or if you are looking to join, contact president Katie Doran. Their Web site is also a place to visit if there are any other questions, or if you are just curious about what they are about at: (http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=6310131540.)
Whether it’s playing on the Xbox 360, the Playstation 3, or the Nintendo Wii, college students take part in the enjoyment of playing video games. Students’ favorite games are all over the spectrum, making it tough to pinpoint.
There are games such as “Grand Theft Auto IV,” “Madden,” “Halo 3,” “Super Smash Brothers,” or “Resistance: Fall of Man.” Truly video games are a great way for many students to take a break from the burden of class.
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