Embrace the Real World: How to Stop Playing Video Games

playing video games in college

Hi everyone! It’s Xiu, and this time, I want to tell you how to stop playing video games. I never thought that my gaming habit might become dangerous until I got close to developing an addiction. Fortunately, friends noticed that gaming negatively impacted my behavior. They pointed out that I spent much less time with them and started neglecting my college responsibilities. They opened my eyes to the situation, so I realized I should change one thing about my life. Should I stop playing video games?

I didn’t want to quit gaming, this idea sounded like a nightmare. Video games were my hobby since I was a 6-year-old boy playing Battle Stadium DON. I had so much fun time playing video games, and now I quit gaming in college. It’s crazy! Or not? Now that I stopped playing video games, I understand that it changed my life for the better. My relationships with college friends improved, I became more productive, and I start to see the beauty of the real world. Do you keep asking yourself, “Should I quit gaming?” Then, you should try to quit gaming.

Hopefully, my experience will inspire you to start this challenging journey and quit video games.

The Uncomfortable Challenge: How to Stop Playing Video Games and Start Studying

Giving up video games might seem hard, but convincing yourself to quit is the hardest step. I have loved to play video games since I discovered DON as a kid, and I was a gamer to my bones. Firstly, you feel like you lose yourself when you quit gaming. Moreover, how do I stop playing video games when gaming in college helps me relax after hard college days? I understand that you might have doubts, but you should at least try to see what happens when you stop playing video games.

Should you play video games? Disadvantages of gaming in college

Not gonna lie – gaming was an important part of my life. Nevertheless, I realized that gaming in college has various disadvantages. Here are some reasons why you should stop playing video games:

  • Gaming is time-consuming. When you play video games, you lose track of time. Instead of wasting one hour, you spend a couple of hours and waste the time you could use for more important activities.
  • Poorer academic performance. It’s all about time again. Wasting excessive amounts of time on gaming can lead to procrastination, missed deadlines, and poorer academic performance.
  • Social isolation. College life can be so fun when you spend time with your friends. But when you spend much time on gaming, you limit your opportunities for social interaction.
  • Health issues. Excessive gaming can lead to reduced physical activity, negatively impacting physical health. Moreover, playing video games late at night can result in disrupted sleeping patterns.
  • Neglecting other activities. By spending much time playing video games, students miss opportunities to pursue their other hobbies and develop skills crucial for their future professional lives.

These are the reasons why I stopped playing video games, which convinced me to take the first step to quitting gaming.

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Steps to Quit Videogames

I have good news for you because you’ve already made the first step: you think about stopping playing video games. However, when one quits gaming, they might face challenges. Especially when they are college students! Since it’s almost impossible to quit gaming immediately, you should start by reducing the amount of time you spend playing video games.

Step-by-step guide on how to stop playing video games so much

Even reducing the time spent on gaming is a challenging task. When you try to quit gaming in college so much, you should develop a plan and stick to it to make your attempts successful. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to quit gaming for excessive amounts of time:

  1. Recognize the negative effects of gaming in college.
  2. Set specific goals associated with reducing time spent on gaming.
  3. Find alternative activities and discover new hobbies to develop new coping mechanisms.
  4. Set boundaries for gaming, limiting it to certain days or hours.
  5. Create a schedule involving activities you want to spend more time on.

Breaking the gaming habit will take time and require effort, so be patient and focused on your goal to quit gaming in college. By following the steps on how to quit gaming in college, you can reduce the time spent on gaming. Don’t forget to measure progress and celebrate small victories in reducing gaming.

How to Stop Playing Video Games

How to Stop Playing Video Games and Start Studying: Best Lifehacks

Now that you read the steps on how to quit gaming in college or at least reduce the time you spend on video games, you know that it’s a hard challenge. Fortunately, I stopped playing video games, so I can tell you about the lifehacks that helped me. I hope these tips will help you when you quit gaming in college.

Top 5 lifehacks to quit video games in college

  1. Identify triggers. Think about what urges you to play. Is it boredom, stress, or procrastination? It’s time to find a way to reduce these feelings other than playing video games.
  2. Develop other coping strategies. Find another activity that helps you cope with negative emotions no less efficiently than your gaming habit. Try different activities to understand which one suits you best.
  3. Avoid temptations. After you start your journey, you might feel tempted to go back to your old habits. However, it won’t be easy if you uninstall your favorite video game, disconnect your gaming consoles, or block gaming platforms.
  4. Seek support. When quitting gaming in college becomes exceptionally challenging, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Your friends, family, or support groups will encourage you and keep you accountable.
  5. Take care of yourself. Sleep well, eat healthy, and engage in physical activities. Improved well-being will keep you motivated and committed to your goals when you quit gaming.

How Quitting Video Games Benefits College Students

Now that I have told you everything I know about how to give up video games, you might be wondering how it can impact your life. When I decided to quit gaming in college, I expected my life to become boring. I quit video games, so I can confidently say that I only benefited from it. Since I quit gaming, I have tried many interesting activities, improved relationships with my friends, found new ones, and enhanced my academic performance. I had much more time to work on my English, so now I understand my professors better. So, let me encourage you to quit gaming: keep reading about the benefits of quitting video games!

Why you should stop playing video games in college: Benefits of quitting gaming

When you quit gaming in college, you can improve various aspects of your life, including the following:
Increased productivity. By stopping playing video games in college, you free up time for more important things, like studying or developing new skills. It will also contribute to improved concentration. Gaming in college can distract you from important tasks, and quitting video games might improve your focus.

  • Enhanced social life. College life presents various opportunities to socialize with peers. If you don’t want to waste them, you need to spend time with your college friends and engage in various activities. You’ll get more time to build meaningful relationships with your peers by quitting video games.
  • Better physical and mental health. Quit playing video games and engage more in physical activities. You can start playing sporty games: they are just as exciting as video games but better for your health. College is also a place where you can establish real-life connections and activities that can bring you a sense of fulfillment and improve your mental health.
  • Opportunities for self-discovery. You might think that you will lose your identity once you quit video games. It’s not true because your personality is not limited to one interest. Moreover, when you quit gaming, you’ll get a chance to discover new aspects of yourself by seeking new activities.

Not too long ago, I couldn’t imagine my life without video games. Gaming used to bring me so much joy, and I have just too many memories with them, including my first gaming experience with DON Battle Arena. Nonetheless, I quit gaming in college and, if I could go back in time, I would do it even earlier. Should I quit gaming forever? I don’t know yet, but as long as I’m in college, I’m putting my gaming devices out of my sight.

Are you going to quit gaming? This decision is up to you, but if you are waiting for a sign to stop playing video games – consider my post as one!

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Xiu Zhang
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Xiu is a Chinese native studying in the USA. A professional film watcher and Mahjong player, Xiu plans to develop his entrepreneurial mindset and set up a company of his own.
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