Nov. 19, 2023
By Chiara Cardone
Staff Writer
This article is part of an in-depth reporting project about board and card games.
Although its impacts sometimes go unnoticed, playing board and card games has been proven to result in positive effects on mental health. Whether playing competitively or for leisure, this entertaining activity has the power to lift one’s spirits and mood.
Guidance counselor Ms. Leidemer said board and card games have an important social function because they create opportunities for people to interact and focus on a common task.
“For those people who maybe have a hard time connecting socially with other people, I think board games are a good [and] non-threatening way to be part of a group,” Leidemer said.
According to a 2017 study by the National Library of Medicine, playing board games leads to laughter that stimulates endorphins. This helps boost serotonin, which relieves symptoms of anxiety.
“It’s a good way to make friends and just engage in activities that you enjoy.”
Leidemer said she enjoys playing Monopoly with her children because it distracts her from sources of stress.
“After the game is over, I’m not thinking about… my laundry list of responsibilities, so it’s a good escape,” Leidemer said.
Board Game Club member senior Rahma Heneiber said she typically plays the card game Apples to Apples with friends on their birthdays.
“It strengthens our friendship because it gives us these funny memories to look back on,” Heneiber said. “It’s become a tradition [since] that’s how often we do it.”
Heneiber said board and card games unite people.
“It’s a good way to make friends and just engage in activities that you enjoy,” Heneiber said.
Sophomore Luciano Riccio said even though he has not played board or card games recently, he used to go to his brother’s friend’s house about once a week for a game night where they played a variety of lesser-known games including Cuba Libre, Iberian Gauge and Sidereal Confluence.
“We played for hours, maybe even five hours sometimes, and we all got closer,” Riccio said.
Riccio said he most enjoys strategic games because they allow him to build skills, but he also appreciates easygoing games.
“[When] everything’s more lighthearted, you usually play with a lot of people. It brings you all together,” said Riccio.
INFOGRAPHIC BY LILY ANDERSON This survey reflects the responses of 96 LHS students, 88 of whom play board and card games.
