Esports clubs are becoming an increasingly popular phenomenon at colleges, providing students with opportunities to develop problem-solving skills, make new friends, and create fulfilling relationships. However, like any other activity, gaming can have a negative impact on academic performance if engaged too much.
It is important for students to understand how to balance video games and their academic life and instill healthy habits. This will help them get good grades while having fun. Today we will talk about how to learn how to combine studies and Esports.
Set a Time-Frame for Gaming
Having mechanisms to stop playing games when necessary can help students create a balanced lifestyle that will enhance gaming and academic performance.
Games are a great way to develop various skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, planning and organization, numeracy, math and physics, and hypothesis testing. Additionally, educators should recognize the value of these skills in gamers and encourage their application in an academic context. Introducing esports into schools is a great way to help students connect their gaming interests to real-world applications.
However, students need to be able to manage their time and use a schedule or calendar. To do this, setting aside specific times for games and other activities is important. Of course, sometimes this is difficult. But it is worth noting that time management is formed thanks to the schedule, which will help the student work, delegate tasks, and manage everything in the future.
Take breaks
Games can help with learning and academic performance if played in moderation. However, if video games take over all of your attention, it can negatively affect learning and cause stress for students. Gaming can also lead to conflicts at home, poor grades, poor hygiene, and health problems such as sleep problems, eye strain, headaches, dehydration, and obesity.
It is essential to take breaks to combat the negative effects of overindulging in games. To do this, simply set a timer for 25 minutes of work and then take a five-minute break. Great, because I can read, write my paper a little, or play a quick mobile game in that time. This way, such a technique can increase productivity and improve memorization of information during class.
One can try other ways to reduce their gaming time, such as getting a hobby that doesn’t involve gaming, socializing with friends in person, and limiting their gaming time before bedtime. You can also make your gaming experience more positive by socializing while playing or using an ergonomic and comfortable game controller.
Establish a healthy daily routine
Games are a fun way to escape from reality, but making time for other aspects of life, such as studying or socializing, is important. It’s also necessary to have good health and well-being habits, so make time for exercise, sleep, and healthy eating – according to the NHS, this improves concentration, boosts mood, and even helps prevent obesity.
If you find it difficult to balance esports and your studies, it may be worth seeking professional counseling from a psychologist or therapist. They can assess your situation and recommend managing your stress levels and developing healthy coping mechanisms. They can also recommend strategies to help you study and play games in moderation.
Set limits
For students who find it difficult to balance gaming and studying, it is sometimes necessary to set limits. This may include locking down the gaming system and setting passwords or other barriers to access. This will help prevent the temptation to use the game system and encourage the student to try other forms of recreation and study. Alternatively, you can pack up the game system when leaving for college or school or leave it in another room or hard-to-reach location.
Students can also limit their playing time by limiting the number of matches per session and sticking to this schedule regardless of results.
Final Thoughts
Esports, or competitive video gaming, has become a huge industry and cultural phenomenon. It has also begun to influence the university sphere, with more and more institutions offering esports programs and varsity teams participating in national and international tournaments.
While some people argue that eSports is not a legitimate form of education, it has gained popularity among educators and can offer a range of positive benefits to students and the school community as a whole. For starters, eSports can build teamwork and communication skills critical to academic success. And, of course, as previously mentioned, students should try to have other interests and hobbies outside of gaming – eat right, exercise, and get a good night’s sleep.
