Around four years ago today, I was relaxing in my bedroom on a lawn chair I had built in construction class when I was in grade 10. Covid had come in like an angry housewife, and everything was beginning to shut down. At first, I was pretty indifferent about the whole thing. Not using my brain, I figured that after about a month, this whole thing would blow over. Using the opportunity, I hooked up all of my old consoles and began to replay some childhood games. Why not enjoy it while it lasts, right?

A few months later, I found myself tossing and turning in my new bed, having just moved while the pandemic continued to rage on. While it was partially due to the temperature outside, a lot of it had to do with the thoughts in my head. While I had been mostly enjoying myself by replaying old games and plowing through my to-read list, I had started to feel the need for something different. I needed a new hobby to keep me engaged and productive while I was off on summer break.

After reading a few articles, I settled on one: crossword puzzles. I had done some in the past while visiting my grandparents and had enjoyed them quite a bit. I saw it as a way to build up my vocabulary, as well as a way to train my brain in general. Sure, I could have decided on word searches or sudoku puzzles, but crosswords appealed to me the most. I downloaded a good app I saw on Google Play and went from there.

Fast forward to today, and I’ve made it a habit to do one crossword every day when I wake up every morning. I’m still using the same app I downloaded all those years ago, and I’ve gotten a lot of use out of it. Thousands of puzzles contained in various packs you can play at any time, with varying difficulties. Some contain more direct hints as to which word you’re looking for, while others challenge you to think outside of the box. If you get stuck, there’s a hint button you can press, which takes you to a website with different possibilities, the likeliest being at the top. I typically haven’t had to use it, but I appreciate its presence nonetheless. The sheer quantity of puzzles, along with the updates that bring even more in, ensure that I’ll probably never run out of them as long as I have the app.

Of course, crosswords aren’t for everyone. Some enjoy sudokus more for their abstractness and their emphasis on logical thinking. Word searches help to improve your concentration, as well as your memory. Even putting together a simple jigsaw puzzle helps the brain in numerous ways. The way I see it, there’s no wrong answer when choosing an activity like the ones mentioned above to challenge yourself. I chose crosswords because I feel they fit me the most. Some may disagree, and that’s fine. God made us human beings to have creativity, and that’s why we have so many options at our fingertips.

My advice to anyone reading this: start doing crosswords. Or any of the other games I’ve talked about. Challenge yourself, grow your brain, and have fun. It’s good for the mind, as well as the soul.

That’s all for now, see you around.