Could Joining Clubs Help Students Destress?
By Eoin Haggerty | Observer Contributor
Melissa Manzi, the mental health counselor at the Mount since 2011, has found that gaming for students “is a way to destress.”
However, she also found that it can be destructive behavior if not managed correctly. Manzi said, “I would say when a student comes to me about gaming, it’s that it’s a problem or interfering with their studies.” She added, “Many are not aware of how much time they are spending. Some students have to take it out of their day because they can’t stop.”
Chemistry student Samuel Thieme typically spends his time outside of school playing games, watching videos, listening to music, and walking around his neighborhood. He said he finds that these distractions help with stress from school, help get his mind off of things, and to take a break. “Trying to do everything in one unbroken sitting is exhausting,” Thieme said.
Although he enjoys games with a learning curve, he finds that any type of game can be a good distraction. “If I can spend my time not doing schoolwork, then it helps with distracting me from the stress,” Thieme said.
However, even taking games out of the equation, Thieme explained he finds himself putting off assignments until or occasionally after the due date. “To be honest, I struggle with that,” Thieme said. “My plan is usually to do things [ASAP], but I never really actually do that.”
Gaming is not the singular issue for most students Manzi has had appointments with. She said she believes that students throw out behaviors that are beneficial to them, like walking or going to the gym, so that they can go to school and their other obligations. “If they integrate it into their schedule, they would find it helps with stress,” Manzi said. “The biggest problem is lack of time management, which inevitably causes problems with school.”
Manzi said she believes that students should belong to a club or community, with clubs helping students who aren’t necessarily outgoing or social. Manzi said, “connection is the most important thing you can do for your mood, and we all need to feel connected.”
Kathy Matson, head of Student Life since 2016, had been looking into an eSports club before COVID-19 and attended a meeting going over the logistics and benefits of such a club. During COVID-19, there were small events set up online for students to participate in, but it was not yet a club. After these events had taken place, Matson went looking for an advisor for the club, reaching out to the IT team at the Mount.
Now officially a club, Matson said tournaments have been an overall success and that students who were at the last one have said “they would absolutely join another tournament” and it “was [a] great [way] to meet new people.”
Matson said that students should look into joining a club if they want a distraction from school. Matson also explained that clubs could be a good way to manage school-related stress, as students can meet new people who have similar interests.
“We have this so students can meet informally, whether it’s related to their major or not,” Matson said. “It helps build connections with people that they might not just get necessarily from the classroom.”
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