A reflection from your Vice-President of EDI Vincent Wing Fung Tsang
Life can be said to be a game and all the people merely players. School is a part of life and is itself a kind of game. This is not to diminish the importance of academics. A game need not be a frivolous diversion done to only pass time. On the contrary, it can be a matter of great import, aecting life outcomes. But let’s first define what a game is.
A game at its simplest can be boiled down to a few ingredients. A goal, some rules, and a medium of interaction are three of those ingredients. The diverse goals of a game can include winning, developing a skill, having fun, or any number of things. Rules are a necessary component because they dictate the way goals are reached. They can be said to form the legal foundation upon which a government or game master can order the game’s community for a more equitable playing field. Furthermore, a medium of interaction consists of the language the game will be played in and determines inclusivity. For example, playing cards would be inclusive of a very different audience than an internet-based computer gaming software. As you may begin to see, games are multi-layered and reflect the complexities of the world we live in.
The benefits of games extend to attenuating mood, improving hand-eye coordination, and heightening cognitive performance. The thrill of winning a game is unforgettable and as many games rely on quick decision-making in a fast-paced environment, rapid reflexes are key. When the brain is consistently engaged and neurons keep firing, cognitive decline can be prevented. In fact, gamifying your life has been said to help in breaking bad habits, building good ones, and increasing motivation to continue. For example, if you chunk your study time and reward yourself incrementally, you are simulating the mechanism of a game.
Finally, games can be incubators for future leaders. The game of chess has long proved to be a vital training ground. The countless hours poured into the video games of today should not be seen as wasted. These virtual worlds that allow for everything from resource management to roleplaying alternative identities challenge minds to grow and see the world in a way that it has never been seen before with fresh perspectives. This will likely transform the landscapes of finance, technology, supply chains, law, healthcare, and beyond. Unlike other modes of learning, impartial rules are applied in games with instant feedback making them powerfully impactful in moulding the evolution of creative problem-solving skills and empathetic communication across cultures. So, the next time someone says, “life’s not all fun and games”, invite them to a game!
This article was written by Vincent Tsang.
Vincent is the SSU’s Vice President of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Our Executive team are available to support a variety of aspects of your Sheridan Life. As a student in Sheridan's Gerontology Social Worker program, Vincent Tsang is passionate about advocating for marginalized groups and creating a sense of belonging for everyone.
