On Wednesday, March 7, students were given the opportunity to play a wide range of games, from timeless classics like “Pinball” and “Galaga” to popular modern games such as “Street Fighter V” and “Dragon Ball FighterZ” at the ASPB hosted event, R’Cade, which took place in HUB 302. Non-arcade games such as air hockey and giant Jenga were also available at the event and movies were played on a projector for the night’s entirety.
The room was filled with laughter and enthusiasm — a liberation from the stresses of looming week 10 and finals week. With an era-spanning offering of games, students were able to experience different callbacks to their childhood in each corner of the room. I was immediately greeted by some of my favorite games such as ping-pong and giant Jenga. Despite the cheery atmosphere of the event, students were engaged, trying their best to win, and screamed with overdramatic frustration when they lost. In the backdrop of this chaos, the movie “Wreck it Ralph” played as students lounged in bean bags and leisurely enjoyed the light-hearted film.
The back of the room truly resembled an arcade. ASPB really outdid themselves by bringing in classics like Tetris, Pac-Man and many more. As I stood in line, hearing the light “pews” and “pings” emitting from the arcade machines reminded me of my childhood, when I would eagerly wait to show off my skills. At the event, I waited along with others for Tetris, where we all anticipated our turn to prove who the real “Tetris God” was. After a loss, each student tried to think of where they went wrong, and how they could possibly improve to secure the win in the next round. (But of course, no one could beat me in Tetris).
R’Cade reminded a few college students of the importance of letting loose and having fun, even if just for a few hours. It was a time where students could relive some of the more enjoyable moments of their childhood in a jovial environment, void of any stress or negativity. Each game sparked competitiveness and camaraderie, with each player holding a deep desire to win while others spectated intensely, rooting for their peers and excitedly shouting words of encouragement.
This behavior shows something innate in many of us, while we have desires to be successful we also desire to support others, even if it doesn’t directly benefit us. Oftentimes, academics can remove us from this nature because we are piled with assignments, exams and problems in our personal lives. The R’cade truly reminded me how we used to be, carefree, loving and supportive of one another. Oftentimes, we are beaten down by school and life itself, but just as the students did at the R’cade, we have to get back up and wait for our turn to shine again. Also, it isn’t always about winning, there is a lot that can be learned simply by putting ourselves out there and trying our best.
