Video junkie

Story by KathySinclair

I our eyes are red from the strain of reading black ink on white pages Your social life is suffering because there isn't time or money to date Your hand dives down to the inner depths ofyour pocket,searching forthat lastchance ofhappiness There itis— that single,solitary quarter Itwas foreordained for that quarter to save your lifein none other than a video game.

Nestled among the chairs and tables in Dorms 2 and 20 resides one of the most controversial crazes ever to hitAmerica LBC has itsshare of video game attractions and,justlike anything else,there are students who thrive on video games and some who think they are a waste of money

Ask some LBC students how they spellrelief and you willbe answered, "Video game!" It's a craze, insane to some, that causes an addictive attraction tothose money-eating monsters residing inDorm 2 and Dorm 20 Likeeating a potatochip,one game leadstoanother;and,beforeyou know it, you'rea junkie, a video junkie

There are various levels of attraction toward video games Some students,mostly ofthe female gender,are infatuated by the brightly painted games but are not overly aggressive in playing ormastering them Thistype willusually only be found near one ofthemachines if she is asked on a datetoone ofthe local video hangouts: Fun-N-Games, Video Voyage, or Spanky's Socialstatus influencessome students'likeordislikeforthe game Sue Brugard,a sophomore from Pennsylvania,says,"I play video games only for social reasons."

The extreme video junkie can be found pumping quarters intoa game atalmost any time oftheday While inclassesthe video junkie fantasizes about the moment he can again challengehisfavoritegame.The blackboard slowly transformsinto a giant screen while the teacher is metamorphosed into the ever popular Pacman or Ms. Pacman.

To distinguish between the social junkie and the extreme video game junkie, just watch for these signs: 1) Pacman memorabilia such as keychains and teeshirts. The junkie doesn't have toactually buy these items,because, well, heis in college now; but the extreme junkie will have a new-found attraction forthem 2) Strong desireforquarters nottobeused as laundry money. 3) Lack of interest in study. 4) Amazing magnetic force pulling him toward any game room.

Some video games are difficult to conquer even for the experienced player "Tut" isone of the hardest according to Richard Scales Scales,ajuniorfrom Lynchburg,played many a videogame untilhe started working atVideoVoyage Now he watches as other players battle with Donkey Kong or Swimmer, two of the more popular games

"Playing video games isa good way to blow offsteam You have to use your brain, but the main idea isjust to relax," Scales says

Some students really couldn't care less about video games one way or the other Darren Loeppky, a sophomore from Manitoba, Canada, says, "I play when I have the money It's something todo."

Many people, however, beyond LBC and Lynchburg have been concerned about video games "Business Week" tellsus that "in 1981 players slid an estimated $7 billion worth of quarters in video arcade games."

However you feel about video games,you should find comfort in the fact that they won't bother you ifyou don't bother them Your hand must put the quarter in the slot before the screen comes alive with video creatures and you are left to taste the thrill of victory or the agony ofdefeat

Your eyes are red from the strain of video creaturesflying, speeding, shooting their way across a drab screen that has come alive at your command You've spent all your money, but itwas worth it You turn to walk away and leave behind you your fiercechallenger.Never again willyou return. What's this, deep in your back pocket? Another quarter? Ah! You speak MacArthur's immortal words: "1 willreturn."

O n April 13, in a speech to nearly 6,000 people, Bush voiced