Almost done

Season’s greetings gamers,

                As the new days of May bless us with abnormally cold weather, I have become more accustomed to spending my time indoors. After the countless hours of research on game addiction, I have conditioned myself to cut down on gaming. Conditioned, may be a bad word for the situation because I still do play in my free time. The word scared is more appropriate for now. When I turn on the console I see the broken lives of the past addicts and picture how I could have turned out. I feel that I myself have gone through an intervention during the time I have spent researching the topic.

                I really like that I could connect my project to my interests in real life. I feel that the quality of the paper and the effort I put into the paper would have all changed if I had to look up something that did not interest me. I can use this knowledge to make sure that the people I care about do not make the poor life decisions and fall into the grasps of this addiction. What I disliked about this project was the time frame of everything. This may be specific to me, but I had to work on this project parallel to my AP exam. When I had to focus on studying for AP chemistry, I had to make finishing touches to my project. Those last days before both the test and the deadline for the paper became very stressful and I received less sleep than I would have wanted to.

                To my mother, the amount of video games I play currently and is excessive in her opinion. My response is that it really is a normal amount. From the questions I found online to see if a person is an addict I fall into only a couple categories. I talk about the game outside of the gamine world to my surroundings. I have lost a little bit of sleep being preoccupied with the game. There are many more things that I do not do to reassure myself that I am not an addict. I have not forgotten to eat because I was playing a game. I have never lied about how much I play or become emotionally different from when I am playing the game.

                My personal belief is that video games are a helpful past time and that if it is monitored can be very beneficial. When I just sit down and concentrate on the task ahead whether it is taking down the enemy base or managing a castle, the game relieves me of my everyday troubles. I feel it is a good thing for everyone to just relax and get away from the stress they are feeling.

                Signing out,

                MHB

looking ahead

Bonjour readers,

                As I approach the finish line of my project I have come to the conclusion that I actually need to take a side in my project. Are video games good or bad? As a gamer myself and through the countless hours I have put into a game(s) I personally will have to say no. I believe that with proper moderation of how much a person puts into the game, they can be as harmless as a fly. They provide a sense of accomplishment when I beat a certain level or beat the game in general. It gives me a quick solution to some of the answers I have pondered on for years. Games have given me a place to fit in and excel in an activity that others may not be good at. For all these reasons I have played and continue to play games.

                From a parent’s point of view I can see why video games have become something like a drug. When I come home from school I will agree that my first thoughts do not go to the school work I need to complete, but rather to the level I need to beat. Video games have become a distraction from the school work that kids have to complete because playing a game seems a lot more fun than a tiresome exercise over Calculus. My mother has even blamed the fact that I wear glasses (mostly contacts) entirely on the video games. My argument back was about genetics and how I inherited the blessing of bad eye sight, but right now I have to swallow my pride and say it might have been affected by the moment si stare into the television screen.

                One thing about this senior project that has changed me is that I have become more aware. I see my friends play the games and I think to myself how the relationship between them and the game system will end. I wouldn’t call it being worried for my friend it is just that my outlook on when and why we play games has changed. I believe that with this new generation of technology and text messaging, a game life has started to become a norm for kids of all ages. They are constantly together with a mutual goal in mind of beating the game.  With game companies now experimenting with new ways to keep players in the game and informed about their surroundings, the gaming world looks all the more appealing. I feel that sooner or later humans will fall into a world that is completely surrounded by computers. People will no longer need to leave their houses and all jobs will be on the internet world. If anyone has watched the Pixar more Wall-E I feel that the possibility of that world is not so far out of reach.

                Tune in next time,

                MHB

We need a Product?

Greetings everyone,

                I have decided to take upon myself to create a final paper of all the research I have gathered. At first I was thinking of doing some sort of documentary like product where the facts will be neatly placed and synchronized with fitting music. I later realized I have neither the skill nor the voice to create a below average documentary. So my final solution and fate has pointed its finger toward a research paper. It will fallow what I believe to be a basic research paper, where all the facts will be laid out and the evidence given so that the reader can then take and educated opinion on how serious game addiction really is.

                I have completed an outline for my paper so that I do not stray in what I am saying. I find it that the hardest part for me when I write a paper is that I lose focus and start talking about other things. This is bad in general so I started with an outline that gave me the general idea I need to complete in a paragraph and the evidence that fallows it. I feel I am prepared and that I am ready to just sit down and let the fingers dance on the keyboard. I have over the amount of information need, thanks to the two books, and that the only problem now is to choose which information to use and where it should go.

                My Product connects with the learning activities because it uses what I have acquired from the learning activities directly. I do not need to think about how to use the learning activity because it is already part of my research and has provided me with multiple quotes. I really still wish I had an interview so that I have an opinion on the subject so that this project is not just my thoughts completely. I feel this will only lead to me being biased and only providing what I think is right (or should be said) instead of the whole truth about the subject.

                All that is left now is for me to find the time to sit down and just focus on finishing the product. This may be a problem because I would like to focus this weekend on my upcoming AP exams. Balancing my classes and running has never really been a problem for me, but this last semester has shown to be a real ordeal. After the AP exam I have all of Monday and Tuesday to finish this and make it the best I can possibly make it.

                Thanks for tuning in,

                                MHB