We have entered a dark time of the year. The NFL season is over. College basketball has come to a close. Worst of all, no one will watch baseball with me. While I normally spend my social battery watching sports, the spring sports slumber puts my plans on hold.
Yet, I have one saving grace: the magical power of video games.
I grew up playing EA Sports College Football (1993) with my dad. Almost every day after school, we would boot up the 2009 version on the PlayStation 2, and I would try my hardest to beat him with the Arkansas Razorbacks. He always swore he was not going easy on me, but I have my suspicions looking back now (no six-year-old should win 109–30 in any game). The games helped bridge the gap between my interest in video games and his in sports, and I likely would never have become a sports writer without that initial fusion.
However, to the disappointment of myself, my family, and millions of sports fans around the country, licensing disputes ended the College Football game series in 2013. While I played NBA 2K (2005) with friends in high school and during the pandemic, it was hard to build the sense of community I had felt playing College Football online. It feels different to yell in excitement with the person next to you on the couch, to be able to share your favorite junk food, and politely shake hands behind a false smile after losing.
Then, the announcement came. I texted the news article to everyone I knew like a modern-day Paul Revere. In 2024, EA Sports College Football had finally returned. My friends at Georgetown finally experienced the great chaos and camaraderie of the game, and I could replay the series that my dad and I had constantly competed in.
And, EA Sports College Football 25 (2025) lived up to the hype.
I have made some of my favorite college memories playing the game with my friends. I still think about the time my friend, who had never played before, scored a 100-yard kickoff return against the clear favorite. Cramming people into my small dorm and trying to share a massive pizza with no plates makes me almost want to live in Southwest Quad again.
The day after I was diagnosed with cancer, fellow Voice-lifer Andrew Swank (SFS ’26) came over and played College Football with me. The gesture may have seemed small to him, but I smiled the whole time, even as he kicked my butt. The community built through these games made one of the hardest times of my life a little easier.
College Football 25 is not the only game to have made an impact. My dad and I are now fond of MLB: The Show 25 (2025) after playing hundreds of hours following chemotherapy appointments. With The Show, we are not just playing with random computer-generated players, but with the real stars of Major League Baseball. The games helped us learn the ever-changing team rosters, connecting us D.C. transplants with the wider Nationals community. Daylen Lile might be my favorite National after I used him to hit five home runs against my dad. I am excited to sing his praises at games this season with other fans, and to feel like I belong in a place a thousand miles from home.
However, this community building does not only need to apply to league-licensed sports games. I guarantee that you are one degree separated from someone on this campus with a Wii. So, I suggest playing a tournament, elegantly dubbed the “Wii Sports (2006) Olympics.” Every sport. Winner of each gets a point. The person with the most points wins. While the concept is simple, it is my favorite game night activity to share with friends.
Nostalgia has a powerful emotional force. My story is not unique. Everyone grew up loving something, and I think one of the best parts of college is sharing your joys with others. Thankfully, no Gen Alpha kids have arrived at the Hilltop yet. So, you should be able to forge new friendships with the Hoyas who share the same memories as you, or introduce new favorites to those already around you. For me, that was video games.
Additionally, the games do not need to be strictly sports. I think every Georgetown club has hosted a Mario Kart (1992) night with additional rules to modify the game. Just Dance (2009) is another Wii classic that I find easy to pick up. If you do not mind turning your dorm into a jazzercise studio, and your neighbors do not mind you screaming karaoke at the top of your lungs, give any version of the series a try.
As these last few weeks of school wind down and as my time on the Hilltop comes to an end, I have a call to action. Find someone with a game console. Send a mass calendar invite to your friends, ideally repeating every week. Regardless of whether you are a senior or a freshman, now is the time to have fun with your friends, even if it’s just on your couch.
Thirty years from now, you will not remember the grade you got on your International Relations final. You will not remember how well you did on your Problem of God paper. But you will remember the nights you spent with friends. Your finals and papers will not text you after you have graduated. Focus on building your community first, one game at a time.
