DSU Video Games Culture Club rediscovers youthful passion
By Aaron Guillen, Staff Reporter
Remember playing the original Super Mario Bros on a Nintendo? Back in the day, video games were one of the only sources of entertainment after a long day of school. Today, people have an endless list of things they can spend their free time doing. Cyrus Contreras, Treasurer of the DSU Video Games Culture Club, hopes that students consider taking a well-needed rest from the hustle and bustle of college stress by reliving their nostalgic memories.
“We bring our own systems, like Nintendo, Xbox, PlayStation, etc., and we use the TVs from the library, but we don’t mind people bringing their own TVs. We also have had people bring board games or card games to help increase the variety [of options] in our club,” said Contreras.
The DSU Video Games Culture Club opened its doors back in 2013. Contreras joined the club at the start of the Fall 2015 semester and became an executive Treasurer shortly after. Currently, the club has welcomed over 100 members on Facebook, led by President Nikki Rose and Vice-President Zachary Mead, alongside Contreras.
“The importance of this club is that not only do we play video games, but we also create [stronger] bonds with each other, and we welcome anyone that drops in,” Contreras said. “Some students always get stressed from tests and reports, so having a place to just calm down and enjoy some video games is important, in my opinion. When it comes to skill level, we welcome any skill level or knowledge of video games, and we mostly live on the simple term of just having fun.”
Back in the spring of 2016, the club held a tournament for Super Smash Bros. on the Wii U, with many prizes awarded. In the future, the club plans to host another tournament of a popular game (to be determined), possibly in the spring. On certain days the members bring in snacks and pool money to order pizza for potlucks. While they don’t hold any competitions between other colleges or universities currently, Contreras says that he would consider planning one in the future.
“The lounge area is a perfect place for playing video games, because it already provides a large screen TV and comfortable couches for playing, with pool and ping pong nearby. The club meet ups are a drop-in time, so anyone can just pop by and enjoy themselves anytime during our meet up,” said Contreras.
“I am part of this club because it is where I get to […] relieve my worries and stress after a busy week of studying and learning. I continue to stay because everyone in this club is super friendly, and I get to share my love for video games with them. This club has helped me build new bonds and strengthen my managing, organizing, and financial skills. In general, the DSU Video Games Culture Club is a great place to just relax and have fun.”
The club meets on Fridays from 12 p.m.–6:30 p.m. in the Lounge Area (third floor) of the DSU Building.
