Gaming Offers Stress Relief to Montevallo Students.
by Zach Miller

   The life of a college student can be very stressful. It seems like college life is one endless barrage of exams, papers and projects. Many students at the University of Montevallo have a hobby that helps them to unwind from the daily college grind. One of the most popular is gaming.

   The world of gaming is an exciting one that offers many different thrills that a Montevallo student would appreciate. Most students first became interested in gaming when they were children. Most students, like Caleb Lowe, have a favorite game or game series. "My favorite game series is Fire Emblem," Lowe says. "My favorite game is the latest entry in the series, Fire Emblem Awakening," adds. "I have put so much time into it."

   Students like Oliver Head also have their favorite consoles. "My favorite is probably my PC," he says. Many gamers like to play older generation games. This can be achieved thru devices like a Retron, a device that allows you to play the original Nintendo, the Super Nintendo and the Sega Genesis.

   Most hardcore gamers will go on to collect many different games. Student Aaron Story collects hardware as well. He appreciates the history of the appliances and their effect on popular culture, which is why he collects them. "You collect presidential buttons, because they are really important," he says. "It is important to collect these games because they are now an important part of our popular culture," he adds.

   Story and other students aren't alone in their pursuit of their gaming hobby. According to NBC News, 70 percent of college students play video games at least once in a while.