Time Consuming But Worth It - Megan Beissner

Everyone has their favorite app – a game/form of entertainment/reference/social networking outlet that he or she goes back to every single day.  There is an app for everyone.  In a world where nearly everyone seems to own an iPod or iPhone and numerous apps are absolutely free, this makes perfect sense.  Some people might view these apps as a waste of time, worthless, and not worthy of our attention.  However, I believe there are many hidden advantages to these touch screen entities that are applicable to anyone. 

Although I have enjoyed many different apps over time, a personal favorite is Fruit Ninja.  The object of the game is simply to slice as much fruit as possible with your virtual knife in a certain amount of time.  Beating my high score feels so great.  After spending a lot of time playing the app, I have become a Fruit Ninja pro.  For some tips on gameplay, click here.  It doesn’t require a whole lot of brainpower - it’s incredibly simple, yet very, very addicting.  Yes, this addiction causes me to spend more time than most people attached to my iPod, but I view it in a positive way.  Slicing fake fruit, launching angry birds, or killing zombies can turn into a form of stress relief. 

After a long day, our brains need time to wind down and relax.  When occupied with a simple task that these apps provide, our minds wander away from worries that have plagued us all day long.  It is normal for everyone to experience stress throughout their day, and simple little games can help provide some balance.  We can’t stay on a constant treadmill of stress throughout the day, sometimes we have to stop and smell the roses just to stay sane.  A simple activity like slicing fruit can easily fit the bill.  Whether it’s the delight of seeing exploding strawberries and bananas or the rush of beating a personal high score, Fruit Ninja always seems to be able to take my mind off of the everyday routine.   

I go through app phases: one week I will be obsessed with Angry Birds, only to discover the greatness of Tetris, and then later I will only be able to play Doodle Jump.  The app itself doesn’t matter so much, what does matter is the relief it provides.  Games like these can help me relax and take a step back.  The way I see it, apps have the ability to insert just a bit more plain old fun into our everyday lives – who wouldn’t want that?    

Any comments or questions?  email me here.