Repetitive behaviours and habits

Often when I explore a young person's study habits, it pays to understand their gaming habits first. A reason for this, is that games are often repetitive.

What is exciting, fun and mastery for some, can be boring for others (especially for parents and teachers!). Likewise, for young people, school, class and homework can be repetitive and boring. So is there a sweet spot somewhere? Can we use a their gaming approach to influence your child's schooltime strategy?

Recently, a young person introduced me to the world of modern dungeon playing styles via the game Undertale. Which is funny, because the grandfather of player types Richard Bartle first described this in the 1980s watching his friends play "multi-user dungeons" or MUDs.

Undertale an indy game first released in 2015, is a choice-driven RPG where you control a human who falls into the Underground, a world of monsters, and must find a way back to the surface. Unlike traditional RPGs, you can defeat enemies through combat or befriend them through mercy, with your choices shaping the story or route and leading to multiple endings.

You can think of school as a game with different routes, just like in Undertale:

Neutral Route – Doing the Bare Minimum

This is the average student who does what’s required but nothing extra. You pass your classes, do your homework (sometimes), and study just enough to get by. You don’t fail, but you don’t particularly excel either. Like the Neutral Route in Undertale, you get a mixed ending—maybe you finish school, but you might not have many opportunities afterward because you didn’t stand out.

"Genocide" Route – Complete everything in school at all costs

This is the student who prioritizes only results at any cost. At first, I thought, "maybe this is the best way to approach school?", because for a gamer, this aggressive brute force style gets the job done! But on further research, this could mean being cold-blooded, emotionally exhausted by being overly competitive to outshine others. You might get high grades, but at what cost? Trust me, I've met these types of students in medical school! I've had class mates run to the library to hide text books or willing to take resources but rarely share their own.

A genocidal approach to school may also put your teachers offside, self-sabotage your results because in the heat of battle, you didn't actually complete what was asked of you in your assignment. Sure you finished the game, but you didn't play the game how it was intended to be played. Eventually, like in the Genocide Route, you might win at school, but it's a lonely way to finish because you destroyed future opportunities along the way.

True Pacifist Route – Striving for Excellence & Growth

This is the student who genuinely cares about learning, works hard, and builds good relationships with teachers and classmates. You aim for understanding rather than just memorisation, participate in class discussions, and help others when needed. You answer what is being asked and elaborate enough to score the points. You paid attention in class so when you go home you understood the assignment. Like the True Pacifist Route, this requires extra effort, but in the end, you achieve the best outcome—strong grades, personal growth, and good opportunities for the future.

I guess the challenge is, no matter what route you are choosing, even when playing to your best ability, like any game, look at the feedback. Is this route working for you? If not, you can always reset, but remember to follow your "true" save file.

So, while you can take any of these routes, the True Pacifist Route is usually the most rewarding in the long run.