As midterms creep up and the winter grows colder, it’s easy to hole up indoors and make everything about studying. Just last week, I had confined myself to a small cubicle on the 4th floor of the Reg; all I thought about was my next assignments, my upcoming exams, and the essays I had yet to write. The mounting academic pressure (mixed with the single-digit temperatures) had started to take their toll. 

Just as I was about ready to collapse, my phone buzzed with a message from a friend: “Catan tonight?” It was a simple request. All she wanted was for us to play a board game together. In the wake of the busy winter quarter however, even that small reassurance helped me get out of my head. It served as a reminder that among the chaos of deadlines and responsibilities, it’s important to leave room for a little bit of fun. 

Catan is a board game somewhat similar to Risk. The goal is to build settlements, barter with others, and earn victory points via domination of a small island. It’s one of those games that are easy to pick up but difficult to explain. To play, you find a small group of people to set up its hexagon shaped board. From there you escape into a world of trading, building, and resource gaining until you conquer the entire map—or fail trying. 

Playing encourages social interaction and communication, which tends to dwindle as the pressure of deadlines and exams grows. With the stress of academic pressure creeping in, UChicago’s winter term is steadily becoming tougher to get through. Between juggling the peak of Chicago’s winter weather, and keeping your foot on the academic gas pedal, these conditions make it hard to take a step back and focus on your own mental wellbeing. 

Even the University recognizes the effects that the winter quarter can have on students. Articles such as Are You More Likely to Be SAD This Winter?, Winter Weather Got You Down? … Experts Say, and Seasonal affective disorder: How to spot and treat the ‘winter blues’ all cover the different ways cold weather can negatively impact mood, energy, and sleep—and I can personally attest, as someone who grew up in Michigan, that cold winters coupled with seasonal blues are no joke. That’s why taking a break, even for something as simple as a board game, is a necessity to recharge, reconnect, and bring back the balance between time spent for academics and time spent for yourself. 

At least once a week, I get together with a few friends to play Catan. At first, our group started small, but as the winter quarter progressed, we steadily grew in size. Now, Catan is a much-needed reprieve from our busy schedule. Moreover, it gives us something to look forward to. 

After securing one of the communal Catan sets from the Woodlawn common areas, we migrate to the room of the person hosting the games for the week. Trying to fit 5+ college students into such a tiny space can sometimes prove to be more challenging than playing the game itself, but by the time we’re immersed in the world of Catan, the shoulder-to-shoulder squeeze feels far less important than the quest for domination, playing out right before our eyes. With a few makeshift snacks we scrounged up from the depths of our closets, and our voices drawing each other out as we barter, build, and conquer, every night of Catan becomes a night to remember. 

Even beyond Catan, board games in general are a great way to step out of one’s shell. While it’s easy to go from Reg to room, doom scrolling the internet after a hard day of studying, finding a group of people to meet with—whether that be through checking the communal study rooms, house commons, or even browsing Sidechat to see if any one is available—can turn a brief social gathering into a consistent experience, adding a little spark to a busy calendar. We don’t have to live up to our epithet.

Whether it be Catan, Monopoly, Clue, or more, board games are great ways to build a community; taking a moment to slow down and relax from the winter quarter rush can go a long way. So, the next time you find yourself trapped in a studying nightmare, round up a few people and the world of a game to immerse yourself in. You might just find that it’s exactly what you need to keep going.

Kaci Sziraki is a first-year in the College.