Are Video Games A Waste of Time?

Parents have told their kids that it is a waste of time to stare at a screen since the invention of video games. Have you ever been super invested in a game and your parents tell you it's too much and you need to go outside? Luckily my parents were always open to me playing whatever I wanted. I definitely feel like there has been a small waste of time over the years when I probably should've done homework instead of playing more Madden or Fortnite. That isn't the point of this post though. It's to highlight my love of video games and how they keep me in contact with my friends during my time at college. I brought both my PC and Xbox to school. I brought them because I've always used games as a kind of therapy. It is a great way to get the bad stuff out of my head. I've always thought it's better to be upset about a shitty villager trade in Minecraft than the real problems in my life. Since getting to FIT, my biggest regret has been how much I've talked to my closest friends from home. I've done a shitty job of getting on phone calls and quickly checking in. Recently, I started a Minecraft Realm (a Minecraft world where we can all play together at any point in the day) with two of my best friends from home. I've been on call with them sitting and chatting for over 4 hours the last two days. That is way more than I have talked to them in the last month combined. Video games might be a waste of time to some people, but to me it is a stress reliever and a. way to stay in touch. They might not be your thing but think about what you do to stay happy. What is it? Why?