Do Video Games Really Rot Your Brain?

Until this past weekend, I have been against video games. I always thought they were a pointless waste of time and energy (both energy from the person playing as well as energy that is costing me money). Sure, I've played video games before. I grew up with an original Nintendo then my brother got the original PlayStation for Christmas one year. I always played games with him, but thought they were stupid because I could never win. Eventually my teen years took over and I forgot about video games altogether.

It wasn't until this past weekend when my boyfriend purchased a PS3 that I realized video games could actually be beneficial to not only the person playing them, but to others surrounding them as well. He purchased a PS3, a new Samsung 32 inch television, and three games to play which are Call of Duty MW3, Sonic Unleashed, and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. Sure I've heard of these games because when they come out, my Facebook blows up with constant posts on how "awesome" and "sweet" the graphics are and such. I watched my boyfriend hook everything up in the guest bedroom then I left him alone when he started playing the games.

A gaming system is an amazing thing. Not only does it keep the attention of males for up to 6 hours at a time (possibly more, depending on the game and how tired/hungry/or how full the bladder is) it keeps them quiet and out of the way. I can't think of a time where I got so much work done in one day than last Saturday afternoon. I cleaned the kitchen, both bathrooms, living room, and I did the dishes. I wrote five pages on a paper and finished research notes for another class completely uninterrupted. It was truly amazing. I felt accomplished and full of energy.

Now I'm not mocking video games because since that Saturday I have dabbled in all three games and also borrowed SkyRim from a friend. I think video games are a good release from reality but shouldn't become someone's life. Unfortunately this does happen and this is the only downfall of having a gaming system in the house. You have to weigh the pros and cons though and usually the pros do outweigh the cons on this matter. PS3 even has educational games that I can teach my son to play.

All in all, video games are in fact, not the devil as I had previously thought, but rather, a blessing in disguise. They are entertaining and educational (well, sometimes) and a good stress reliever. They help develop problem solving skills as well as boost creativity. And they keep your man (or your kids) out of your hair for a few hours. For now, I'm on the video game bandwagon, but that could always change.