Is Gaming a Waste of Time or a New Way to Learn?
When I was 14, my uncle looked over my shoulder, saw me playing a video game, and said,
“Why don’t you do something useful instead of wasting your time?”
It wasn’t the first time someone said that to me — and it definitely wouldn’t be the last. But that question stuck in my head for years. Was I really wasting my time? Or was something deeper going on when I played?
This is the story of how I discovered that gaming isn’t just entertainment — it can be a powerful way to learn, grow, and understand life in ways traditional classrooms never taught me.
🎮 The Early Days: Escape or Education?
I started gaming when I was 11. It began with small puzzle games on my mom’s phone. Then came my first PC, where I played strategy games, open-world adventures, and online multiplayers. To others, I was “just playing.” But to me, it was more than that.
Games like Minecraft taught me how to build, plan, and solve problems creatively. I had to think in 3D, measure space, manage resources, and even use a bit of logic and coding. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was learning spatial reasoning and project management — skills architects and engineers use every day.
Later, games like Civilization VI introduced me to real-world history, economics, and diplomacy. I learned the rise and fall of empires, how trade works, and why war is often more about strategy than strength. I didn’t memorize facts for a test. I lived through them in the game.
Still, when people saw me playing, they only saw pixels and noise. They didn’t see the critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, and teamwork happening behind the scenes.
👥 Multiplayer, Real Skills
Around 15, I joined my first online gaming clan in a competitive shooter. It was intense. Teams of five players, real-time communication, fast reflexes, strategy planning — we trained daily for online tournaments. We even held meetings on Discord to review gameplay footage and give feedback.
It hit me one night during a match: this was exactly like teamwork in a job. I was learning how to:
Lead under pressure
Communicate clearly
Handle criticism
Adapt to fast-changing situations
Even though we were all teenagers, we organized like professionals. My role as a team leader helped me develop confidence and leadership skills that I never found in school group projects.
🧠 Games Taught Me What School Didn’t
Don’t get me wrong — school taught me plenty. But games taught me in ways that felt real.
Patience and Persistence: I died 27 times in one level of Dark Souls. Each time, I got better. I learned to stay calm, keep trying, and not give up.
Creativity: In The Sims, I designed entire houses, planned family stories, and created visual narratives.
Strategic Thinking: In Age of Empires, I learned when to expand, when to defend, and how to turn a small village into a thriving empire.
Empathy: Games like Life is Strange and The Last of Us taught me emotional storytelling. I cried, I questioned moral decisions, and I understood perspectives different from mine.
No textbook had ever made me feel that way.
💻 Then Something Changed: I Turned My Passion into a Career
At 18, I had no idea what to study in college. My parents wanted me to become a doctor. My friends were going into business. But I couldn’t lie to myself anymore.
I applied for a degree in Game Design & Development. I knew I loved playing, but I wanted to understand how games were made — how they could be used for education, therapy, and storytelling.
The more I studied, the more I saw the power of gaming:
Doctors were using VR games to train surgeons.
Schools were using Minecraft Education Edition to teach math and history.
Therapists were using interactive games to help kids with anxiety and autism.
Gaming was no longer just a hobby. It was a tool. A medium. A future.
🧪 Gaming = Learning (Backed by Science)
For anyone still unsure, here’s what research says:
A study from the University of Oxford found that moderate gaming improves well-being.
Games like Portal improve spatial intelligence and logical reasoning.
Multiplayer games build communication and leadership skills.
Puzzle and adventure games boost problem-solving abilities.
Strategy games enhance planning and memory.
Games don’t replace learning — they support and enhance it in ways that feel engaging, not forced.
👨👩👧👦 What About Kids & Screen Time?
Of course, balance is important. Not all games are educational. Too much screen time without breaks is unhealthy — physically and mentally.
But the answer isn’t to ban games. It’s to guide them.
Parents and teachers can:
Encourage age-appropriate and learning-focused games
Play with kids to understand their gaming world
Set limits while allowing freedom
Turn gaming moments into conversations
Games don’t have to isolate us. They can connect us — if we let them.
🎓 Real World, Real Impact
Now, at 23, I work part-time as a game tester and freelance writer for an educational game studio. I help design stories and challenges that teach kids about science and climate change through gameplay.
Sometimes I smile, remembering that afternoon when my uncle said, “Stop wasting your time.”
I wish he could see me now — not just playing games, but building them to change how people learn.
✅ Final Thoughts: The Answer?
So, is gaming a waste of time?
Sure — if it’s all you do, and you ignore real life.
But if you’re learning, growing, creating, connecting through games, then it’s far from a waste.
Gaming is a new way to learn — and it might just be the most powerful classroom of the future.
