Card games of childhood replaced by new entertainment

“Go fish!” junior Miguel Bismonte shouted.

On a typical Friday night five years ago, Bismonte and his friends played a social game of “Go Fish,” as per their now long-forgotten tradition.

“I liked the idea that we could just break out a deck and everyone could get together and have fun,” Bismonte said. “It’s just normal for this to be the absolute icebreaker of any get together.”

Junior Rohan Cotah also reminisces about card games of his childhood such as “Blackjack” or “Texas Hold’em” with nostalgia and admiration.

“It was nice to bond with my friends during that time,” Cotah said. “I loved just sitting around in a circle for hours after midnight and talking about the most random things while playing a game of cards.”

Yet, despite the great fun that the boys had with cards, neither one still plays today. Whether it be lack of time or the availability of other entertainment, Bismonte and Cotah have lost interest.

“[My friends and I] stopped playing after a while just because we didn’t see each other as much as we would have liked to,” Cotah said.

Bismonte misses the value that card games had to him many years ago, before he got busy with school and other activities.

“I hardly play now,” Bismonte admits. “All I do is work or study. Sometimes I play video games, but I haven't touched a deck of cards in over five years.”

Today video games have taken the place of card games in Bismonte’s interests, a change that he both welcomes and regrets.

“Personally, I kind of miss the old days, but I guess I can’t complain to the new,” Bismonte said. “Technology has taken a bigger part of our lives, from work to even our free time. I guess it’s a shame, but there is not much else we could do.”