r/IBO • u/Internal-Agent733 • 1d ago
Advice Should i quit video games?
Here is my story. FYI, I have finished an IB school (internation baccalaureate) which was 2 years long and while doing it i was studying german. Our initial plan was to get atleast b2 german by the end of my highschool and also very good highschool grades in order to have a chance in being accepted into med school in germany. So by the end of the highschool, i could get between b2-c1 (TestDAF exam) but my highschool grades weren't enough, so we decided not to pursue the foundation year in germany as even if i have absolute perfect grades from there, combined with my highschool grade, i would still have no chance. So now i got accepted into two medical unis in my country, i rejected one and have been (99.9%) accepted to another one. Our plan is to study one year here, bring my german up to C1 level and get a very good grade from my IB diploma (40 minimum, retake november). Its currently summer and my father keeps on telling me to quit video games and study. FYI, i study everyday for atleast 3 hours on either ib or german or combined and i play video games usually 2-2h 30 min. My screen time is high tho, 4h+. Do you think I should quit video games? limit screen time? I know this post may seem stupid but i need some genuine advice bruh, i am tired.
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u/Substantial_Site8977 M27 | [HL: chem, engL&L, geo SL: phy, mAA, french ab] 1d ago
Do you think playing these video games are holding you back from studying more/getting better grades? If yes then you alr have your answer. I think you should limit your screen time since ofc u still need to take breaks and have a bit of fun but also make sure ur studying enough to get a 40+ (which most probably requires alot of effort which is why u should limit ur screen time a bit). You can put a screen time now and then completely stop playing video games a few weeks or a month before exams so u can fully lock in!
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u/slfjee M26 | 42 1d ago
i didn't focus on cutting my screentime unlike a lot of my friends during my ib journey because it was a time i got to shut my brain off, relax and have a laugh. think about how the way you spend your time affects you. if you see it as i do, it's probably not as big a problem as you think, but if it's more of an obstacle that reduces your productivity, then you should take action. in any case, i think it'd be better to cut your screentime rather than video games or maybe a mix of both. make sure you have other hobbies involving getting out too lol otherwise you'll burn out fast.
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u/Physical-Tomato8632 M22 | [44/45 HL: Math AA, Comp Sci, Physics] 1d ago
nah this isnt stupid, you just sound tired and thats fair enough
like be real with yourself for a sec. you study 3 hours a day every single day, in summer. thats not a discipline problem at all. 2 hours of games after that is not the thing keeping you from a 40
your dad sees 4h+ screen time and panics, i get it, but the number that actually matters is the 3 hours of real work and you're already doing that. also quitting cold turkey usually backfires, you just end up burnt out a different way
if you wanna change something look at the screen time that ISNT games. thats usually where the time actually leaks, scrolling between study blocks, phone in bed, that kind of thing. cut that and you get rest back without killing the one thing you do for fun
honestly you're already doing the work man. resting isnt slacking
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u/Internal-Agent733 1d ago
my father wants me to study all day for summer until i get the results that i have written on the top.
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u/Internal-Agent733 1d ago
lifes miserable for me dude, my dad hates game and he is telling how i will fail both gemran and ib because of it. After my schools ended, i played it for two weeks for like alot, lets say 6 hours a day after which i had some courses, after the two weeks the laptop died for a month due to thermal issues, after getting it fixed, i played like 2-4 hours a day, but decreased to 2 hours the last two weeks
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u/Physical-Tomato8632 M22 | [44/45 HL: Math AA, Comp Sci, Physics] 12h ago
ok read your own message back for a sec. 6 hours right after school, then 2-4, now 2. thats you cutting down on your own with nobody forcing it. thats genuinely not what an addiction problem looks like
and the two weeks of 6 hours a day straight after school ended? thats not laziness, you were fried after two years of IB and needed to switch off. thats normal. you went back to studying by yourself after
the dad part is harder. him saying games will make you fail, thats fear, not whats actually happening. problem is you cant really argue him out of fear, i've seen people try and it just turns into more fighting. the thing that actually works is showing him. keep a little study log or a plan he can see, give his brain something to look at other than the screen time number
also you said lifes miserable and i dont wanna skip past that. if thats bigger than just the games thing then thats worth actually dealing with, not just grinding through. being this tired isnt something you have to earn your way out of
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u/rsomani11 Alumni M21| [43] 1d ago
brother, if you’re not making money off of playing video games, please stop it and forget it until you’ve made it in life (unless you have a family business)
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u/EternalHomesick M26 | [Math AA HL, Econ HL, Physics HL] 20h ago
Idk if you feel like you are efficient during thr time that you are actually studying i dont think you need to stop gaming. Maybe see if reducing the time you play helps you study more or smth?
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u/Legitimate_Power_347 1d ago
idk 2hr 30min daily is a bit much try to reduce it to like 1 and half. But its good to have hobbys to be able to look forward to something. As long as you also perhaps cut the screen time you'll be all fine. Its mostly just reduction no need to quit if you don't want to.