as a prenursing student, do video games and studying mix or bad idea?

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I used to get all A's and B's in school, knew calculus in the 8th grade, and competed in national math contests. Then my dad died while I was in high school. I got my first F senior year. I go to U and get kicked out. I started to identify myself as a slacker and developed a hatred for school. I also got heavily addicted to video games. Playing from morning until night sometimes for 20 hours straight. Went to different colleges on and off for 5 years, and never graduated.

Fast forward 10 years. I had an ephiphany and now letting go of the past. Im actually a person who enjoys school and excelling, I just had baggage holding me back. I've been studying hard and doing the work. Got provisionally accepted to a nursing program as an intended nursing student. Everything should be good to go as long as I get A's and B's in rest of pre-reqs.

So my question is given my history should I keep my gaming computer or get rid of it. (I was almost close to upgrading it so it can play games with high graphics. It felt like the past was coming back to haunt me). I've played for 50 hours in the past two weeks. I feel like its a distraction for I have fallen behind slightly. I'm pretty confident I can get A's and B's in these pre-reqs but at the same time I don't want to jeopardize my grades even in the slightest. I've failed at school enough. This time I have to do it, no turning back, no quiting, no failing.

Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

If you can set a timer and STOP PLAYING as soon as the timer goes off (study break, say 20mins) then you should be fine...if you re-set the timer for even five more mins (which turn into another five, and another five) then get rid of the games! Addiction is addiction. My husband chewed tobacco for YEARS, he then had major oral surgery which forced him to quit...I make sure there were no lingering chew cans around the house. Its been a year and a half and he still does not chew anymore. I myself have an addictive trait, I know that if there is something I really want I can't keep it around the house. You have to know yourself....

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Maybe I'll get rid of this computer. Then buy a netbook (mini laptop) which isn't powerful enough to play games, but can be used for word processing tasks/research.

Good idea. When you reach your goals hopefully you will reach a new emotional maturity and ability to control your gaming and buy yourself a new system then. Good luck!

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No, of course not. You just need to learn how to limit the time you play. Maybe you can ask a family/friend to put on lock on your console so you can only play 1 hr/day or whatever is suitable for you?

Another suggestion I have is use it as a reinforcer. After you complete your homework/readings, reward yourself with playing a favourite videogame. If like me, there is never an end to the homework/studying, reward yourself with an hour of free time after going hard for 3.

hope this helps & good luck

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Hello all,

thanks for your comments. Each one helps although very differing views, all contribute.

I talked to a life coach. I was triggered by my mom a few days ago when she said she doesn't want me to do nursing but instead run a ups route business (which I already thought extensively about and its not what I want to do). I interpreted her lack of support for nursing school as "her always trying to sabotage me." This disempowers me and I become a victim rather than in the driver seat of my life (in control of my life). So instead I am practicing being thankful, that she just wants me to succeed and she even offered to have dinner with me to talk about it. She just wants to posivitely influence me.

Also to help, my life coach is having me text her every morning 6 things I will accomplish for the day. Also I am to schedule very specifically every hour of the day what I am doing for that hour. Studying/taking breaks/errands etc. I am to use a timer to time how much I've actually studied and how long my break is. And I am to adhere to my schedule. If I bump into problems she will be available to talk. I am also to schedule dinner with my mom to have open communication with her for I have been trying to avoid talking to her to avoid talking about school which just makes matters worse.

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@Philster

Upgrade your computer, have fun and tell that university I'll take your seat at nursing school.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

dont over think things. its a problem, so dont play them. and it is possible to play for 20 hours a week and get good grades.... but its not healthy. i had swim practice in college taking up 25 hours a week and i managed to make it with solid grades but always had to pick having friends or getting sleep! You need to learn to prioritize what you want, stop listening to your mom, and do what you want.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I agree with using the video games for a reward. Study for 3 hours and you allow yourself to play video game for 30 minutes. Then go back to studying and so on...BUT if you cannot trust yourself or you won't have the willpower to push yourself away after your 30 minute break from studying then you should probably just put it away until after you graduate. Trust me...when you get into your nursing classes you will NOT want to waste a lot of time on video games or you simply will not pass the classes. I have seen a lot of people fail because they are not willing to sacrifice their social lives or they think that they can work full time while going to nursing school....it just does not work for most people. Why would you want to try and test this fact? Give up the video games..I think that you will be glad that you did once you have successfully graduated from your nursing program! Good luck!

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I think only you can answer that...But if you have to ask this question at all..that should tell you something.

Playing some video games is not the problem..its can you stop when you need to.

I flunked out one semester because I was spending too much time playing FFXI...which to be fun is a very time consuming game. By that point I had already invested much time in the game...and I had alot of online friends that I enjoyed questing with.

But once I flunked out that last semester..(also my dad Almost died in the same time period from complications of heart surgery) I decided that I am not a person that can stop when I need to...so I quit entirely and didnt have any further problems.

Course I found many other distractions...but Lol. Once you get into nursing classes...its exciting and I was more interested in making it through to become an RN then my distractions.

I believe senior semester I read the entire Twilight Series (About 2000 pages?) in a month or 2 but still got a 3.75..my highest to date :)

By that point I really knew my stuff.

Passed first time in 76.

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I think only you can answer that...But if you have to ask this question at all..that should tell you something.

Playing some video games is not the problem..its can you stop when you need to.

I flunked out one semester because I was spending too much time playing FFXI...which to be fun is a very time consuming game. By that point I had already invested much time in the game...and I had alot of online friends that I enjoyed questing with.

But once I flunked out that last semester..(also my dad Almost died in the same time period from complications of heart surgery) I decided that I am not a person that can stop when I need to...so I quit entirely and didnt have any further problems.

Course I found many other distractions...but Lol. Once you get into nursing classes...its exciting and I was more interested in making it through to become an RN then my distractions.

I believe senior semester I read the entire Twilight Series (About 2000 pages?) in a month or 2 but still got a 3.75..my highest to date :)

By that point I really knew my stuff.

Passed first time in 76.

Wow good job. I'm proud of you. :)

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Stay away from video games if that is your history. You have a history of addiction and have the rest of your life to live beyond video games. I don't think you want to slide back into having no life beyond being in a room all day staring at a screen. You may need to find a new hobby.

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Specializes in L&D.

I think if it's too big of a temptation for you, you need to figure out a way to either get rid of it during school, or find a way to limit your playing time each day. I'm not sure if you can set controls on there for yourself or not, but that's something you can keep in mind. Or, you could even study a certain amount of time, and then devote the rest of your free time to playing games. It wouldn't be much fun to totally take away a hobby from yourself, though....I really like playing the Xbox after I get studying done, so I completely understand where you're coming from.

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Well I just bought a stop watch, got a life coach who will check up on me, and created a system. System is for every 3 hours of study/school time I get 30 minutes of gaming. If I meet the required 4 hours of study time for the day, then I can play games for the rest of the day or do whatever.

I don't know if I'll be upgrading my computer. I'm leaning no. If I do upgrade it, it will be as a reward to myself if I get a 4.0 this semester. Then I can game away on new computer for the summer(I will not be taking classes in summer) as reward.

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