Avid gamers need an endgame

Counsellor says students need to reduce video game time

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By LINA CHUNG

Daljit Singh, a first -year Langara business management student, failed a test three times when he was in school in India because he was spent so much time playing a video game.

November and December are two months where lots of video games come out. It is also time for exams for college students. Craig Lee, a clinical psychologist who specializes in video game addiction said students should reduce gaming time and focus on more important things like exams.

“If I have a final coming up and

I’m playing games for too long, instead of spending four hours a night playing games, I would cut it to two hours or three.” said Lee. “I would use the rest of the time studying for my final.”

The fourth time Singh had to write the exam, he uninstalled the game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds commonly known as PUBG from his phone so he could focus on studying.

“I’m worried that if I delete this game, what would I do in my free time?” said Singh who re-installed the game later.

Dimos Kefalas, a first-year fine arts student at Langara is not concerned with his video game playing. According to Kefalas, he’s in school for 10 hours a day, and when he gets home he usually plays

League of Legends remotely with his siblings and friends for two to three hours.

“I just enjoy the social aspect of it,” Kefalas said.

For students who are concerned about their gaming, Lee recommended tracking the amount of hours they play each day.

“If you are playing games for four hours or more per day, for more days than not...you’re kind of creeping into that addiction side,” Lee said.

Lee also suggested setting goals to gradually reduce the time playing, in addition to developing and re-engaging with other hobbies, sports and work.

“Reaching out to the counselling department of their school is also a good idea,” Lee said.

SOURCE: THEESA.CA

The job action escalated as talks broke down between the Unifor locals and Coast Mountain Bus Company.

Judith Zaichkowsky, a marketing professor at SFU who specializes in brand management, said uniforms have bigger effect on the drivers than the passengers.

“I think it relaxes the drivers more,” said Zaichkowsky. “It gives the drivers more of an identity, that they are having some action against management, some small revolt in a way.

"For the customers’ part, people who ride the transit, people who know what’s going on, I think they’re just darn happy to see the bus, because there’s been a lot of bus disruptions.”

TransLink has two options when drivers cancel because of sickness or other reasons. They can ask existing drivers for overtime, or hire extra board workers.

Christy Slusarenko, MoveUP Vice-President of Combined Units said “A uniform ban is one of many methods that can be used to generate public awareness about bargaining concerns with an employer.

"It is also a way of demonstrating solidarity."

She said their members are encouraged to wear buttons to the same ends.

Ahmed El-Geneidy, professor at the McGill University School of Urban Planning, whose research interests include public transport operations, “as long as they have something that identifies them as drivers” the uniform ban won’t endanger riders.

El-Genedidy has one concern:

“Someone jumping in the driver’s seat and taking passengers anywhere without them knowing that they are kidnapped. Until they realize later on," he said.

TransLink Spokesperson Ben Murphy said November 18, “The union needs to be more realistic about their wage demands.

"The union is still refusing to take part in mediation.”

In addition to not wearing uniforms, bus drivers have refused overtime and plenty of bus delays as well as reduced Seabus service.