Playing the Game of School

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 I feel like I just completed an escape house challenge. Two years ago, I barricaded myself into a system that would occupy all my mental facilities as well as all my time. In order to open the (2-3 credit) locks, I had to solve the mysterious code (or the to-do’s) that were assigned and look to the rubric and class outline as the clue.  Everything was fabricated ahead of time and I was guided to discover or experience exactly what was wanted. Although the time limit of two years was maybe self-imposed - though highly recommended - it definitely added to the pressure (and anxiety) to stay laser focused. 

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The Grad planner was my master strategy plan similar to the games of Risk or Catan. As I strategically placed courses where I wanted them to become the champion in the end. Sometimes I would be prevented at accomplishing the task by courses not being offered or even the desired teacher or offered class time not coordinating with my master plan.

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The choosing classes to take were similar to a matching type game such as go-fish, Concentration, or Apples to Apples. Enrolling in classes that I think would provide me with the skills and knowledge that I sought. Sometimes I would find out, either at the end of the semester or prior to the dropping the class deadline, that a few of the areas for which I was seeking were not exactly the match I needed. Then I could seek it somewhere else. However, on the most part, the knowledge gained was valuable insight and close enough of a match (Adjectives to nouns) that I was counted as the winner. And so I was able to continue looking for a match in the next class.

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Many students seem to be playing the game of Monopoly, through their constantly changing their majors and accumulating more than necessary credits for their exit ticket. Trusting that somewhere down the line the information will come in handy and pay back some type of reward.

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Then there are the cut-throat games such as Sorry or Chess. This aspect of the game of school affected all the other people and pursuits, other than my list of required assignments, which were put on hold during my enrollment in a course. If something got in my way, I simply sent them back to home (on a back burner) or put them at a significant disadvantage (neglect until more convenient) in order to accomplish my objective of getting the degree. The other players in my life became the temporary enemy and game ethics took affect on what was otherwise harmonious interactions.

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Cooperative type games like Forbidden Island is like the group meetings, where other students meet in order to, first of all, get a checkmark, and second, help each other understand the content. I would have to add here, the biggest cooperative assets were the teachers. Some greater than others, but for the most part, the teachers were very helpful in assisting and clarifying content in order for the student to meet the objective that has been placed before them.

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For most of my schooling experience, I felt like I was playing Cash Flow where I was stuck in the rat race - going in circles, again and again. Each time it was my turn, I moved forward with each checkmark, only to realize I was repeating the same path the next week or next semester. In a particular course, once the pattern of the class became identified, it became redundant. Between the courses, once a new class began, the similarities to the other class quickly became apparent. The advantage to this was it became familiar, predictable, and increased the ease of movement, but made it difficult to feel there was any type of headway out of the cycle.

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And now I am done with the game of school. My status has been changed from Scum to President or from student to graduate. The game was fun (at times) and suspenseful and challenging and had elements of victory. But IT WAS ONLY A GAME. Yes…, I learned a lot and gained exposure. Though I still have the learning of application.  For now,  I have been declared the winner and it is time to put the gamified educational pieces back in the box and put it on the shelf in order to engage in the real educational experience of life.