Studying is a long and tiring process and takes a lot of discipline. It’s just you and your books and you’ve got a whole load of information to absorb; however, poring over them every waking minute of the day and downing coffee after coffee won’t do you any good.
You need to take a break and give your mind some down time before you return to the books. That’s where playing games is helpful. The games below will give you a welcome change of focus in that study break, as well as a well-earned giggle.
1. “Google Feud”
You’ve heard of “Family Feud,” in which two competing families try to guess the most popular answers from the public in surveys. You may, however, not have heard of “Google Feud,” which is free and similar in style to the classic quiz but is based on Google Autosuggest. The answers are popular searches that internet users have made previously on the search engine.
You choose from a set of categories and type in the end to a statement that “Google Feud” brings up. You can play this one by yourself or with any study companions and give yourselves a break and a laugh. You’ll be surprised at some of the weird and wonderful responses that are out there.
2. Online Bingo
If you’re going to spend your spare time holed away studying in a library, you might as add a bit of drama to your day, so how about a game of bingo? Gone are the days of having to visit an old bingo hall to play the famous old game — playing bingo online continues to attract a younger audience, due to the variations and the pace of the games.
The twists on the game include the aptly named Me Time or Open All Hours, as well as everything from 75-ball games to 90-ball games, including The High Life, Daily Jackpot games, VIP games and more.
The choice of games means there really is something for everyone; your selection might just depend on what you are studying for!
3. “Little Alchemy”
If you’ve not played “Little Alchemy,” you’re in for some simple but addictive fun of the highest order. You have four different elements — air, earth, fire and water — and the aim of the game is to combine these elements to create new elements. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well, it starts off that way, but then gets progressively harder.
The game is highly creative and highly stimulating. It’s perfect for switching off from the books for a while, but you could well find it hard to tear yourself from the game. Don’t worry about that, though. Log in beforehand, save it and then you can go back to it when you’ve crammed in some more revision.
4. “Mini Putt 3”
There’s nothing like a game of golf to relax the body and soothe the mind. “Mini Putt 3,” which is free and easy to play, is just you and a virtual mini golf course. All you have to do is use the cursor to putt the balls. Aim with the cursor, pull back for more power and click to putt. What could be easier?
There are multiplayer options on the game, so you can take on up to four study buddies, or if you’ve embarked upon a solo study effort, you can choose the single player option. Enjoy your game!
5. “Geoguessr”
Don’t be fooled by the gimmicky spelling: “Geoguessr” is a tremendous game, and if you have a love of geography or of traveling in your spare time, it’s definitely for you.
The idea of the game is straightforward. The game drops you off in a random place on Google Maps — you can choose the type of location, such as a European stadium, for instance — and you have to work out the location from everything you see around you.
You could be in a busy Manhattan street, deserted in the middle of the Australian Outback or somewhere else equally random. Wherever you end up, the game is easy to play and is a great distraction from studies.
6. “Escape the Room”
“Escape the Room” games are all the rage these days, especially as a team-building exercise, but now you don’t even have to leave the house or office. Instead, you can play them online by downloading them onto your phone, with versions available on iOS and Android.
The object of this click-and-point game is to find a hidden key and let yourself out of the room. Of course, it’s not as easy as just rummaging around the contents of the room and digging it out. You have to solve different clues, with each clue guiding you closer to discovering the key.
7. “Multitask”
When it comes to original games, it doesn’t get more novel than “Multitask.” The aim of the game is plain and simple: Your task is to play as many games as possible. That’s it.
You start off with one small game, the game adds progressively more and you have to keep up with them all. There’s no doubt it’s challenging, but it’s also a fantastic release from all that studying.
Better still, there is more than one “Multitask” game, so you can mix things up a little and tackle new challenges instead of playing the same game all the time.
Additional Ways to Switch Off
You can have a whale of a time playing video games on a console or cell phone, but you should also remember to go for a walk and get some fresh air when taking a study break. You could also run an errand. Either way, the change of scenery for a spell will do you good. You’ll have been sitting in the same position for a while, most likely, so spend a few minutes stretching, too, before you do step outside.
None of this means you have to leave your phone behind. You can take it with you and play the games outdoors. You could make the most of the time to call a friend as well. All of these suggestions will take your mind off studying for a while, and, when you get back to all that reading material, ensure you can give your revision everything you’ve got.
