Metacognition: Getting In the Game

We’re back with our “thinking about thinking” series! If you’re interested in our previous deep thoughts, check out the Metacognition series.  Join us for some deep thoughts (and maybe the occasional not-so-deep thought) about gaming. If you find one you’d like to answer, you can either comment below or write a post and share the link so we can all read your fantastic thoughts.

What is one thing that you absolutely must do before playing a video game?*

I suppose it would be very horrible of me to say “turn on the game console,” wouldn’t it? That’s like the riddle that asks, “Your parents are coming over for brunch, and you were going to serve them toast with jam, eggs, and orange juice. They arrive at your place early and startle you awake. What’s the first thing you open?” and the cheeky answer is “Your eyes.”

I also had a jerk guy try to take over my sailing class (I won’t say it was because I was a woman but he never interrupted the male sailing instructor). He was volunteering (read: was not a teacher or student), and told me that I needed to be able to answer the following question: What is the first thing you do when you want to go sailing?

My response was, It depends on how far back in the day you’re going. Put on your sunglasses? Check the weather? Open your eyes? Pack your lunch the night before? Decide you want to go sailing at all? Take lessons? Be born?

Needless to say, he was not amused. My students were, though, so that’s really all that mattered.

But I digress. The principle is the same, however. How far back are we going to go? Obviously I absolutely must turn on my console or my computer. I need to turn on the television, and to also sit down (although there was a time when most of my video game playing was done standing – long story).

Rituals are important. These symbolic behaviors that we engage in religiously (and I use that word both figuratively and literally) serve a variety of purposes, to decreasing anxiety, increase confidence, or even bringing good luck. They can make us feel like we have some control over something. But most importantly, rituals usually revolve around events and happenings that are meaningful to us.

So I started really paying attention to what I did when I would sit down to play a video game, paying close attention to any sort of quirky thing I did that didn’t directly have to do with physically setting up the space to play a game.

I apparently say, “Okay! Here we go” under my breath before starting up the game.

That’s probably the most mundane thing ever, but I’d never noticed it before I was setting up this post. And I do it every time. So now I ask:

What about you? Do you have a ritual – either conscious or not – that you always do before starting up a gaming session? Or do you just get right down to gaming business? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you soon!
~Athena

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