Scrambled next to pasta, tucked underneath computers, and sandwiched between the empty spaces of backpacks, playing cards have taken over the LC. No longer do students spend their lunches scrolling on TikTok; rather, competitive shouts echo throughout the lunchroom as students, entranced in card games, distract their overworked minds.
While some current seniors played card games during free periods last year, more juniors than ever have engaged in card playing.
This year, at least for juniors, the card game obsession began during the first couple of days of school. Students returned from their summers energized and excited to teach their friends a new card game: Squares, otherwise known as Kemps. While playing Squares, students group into four, working with a partner within the group to develop a secret code. They use this code to communicate what cards they need to get four of a kind and win the game.
“It started from playing squares, and it was really fun, and everyone liked it, and it kind of progressed into any of the games people wanted to play, like triple solitaire or rummy,” junior Theo Villers said.
One game in particular stood out among the juniors: triple solitaire. “My friends and I played triple solitaire while we were away for a weekend, and ever since, we have been obsessed,” junior Lilah Small said. “It’s so much fun, and it lets me decompress from a busy day at school, where my stress and anxiety can go away.”
In addition to releasing stress, card games have also boosted a sense of community around Latin.
“Card games are an exhilarating way to spend time with your friends during free time and lunch,” junior Stofer Stineman said. “It has kept me off my technology, and it’s become a way to bond and create deeper friendships with all my friends.”
Building on that idea, junior Sadie Cohen highlighted how the new phone ban has turned card games into a regular part of student life.
“Last year, we never played cards; now it is all we do,” Sadie said. “Once classes are let out and it’s time for lunch, the use of phones is less needed; we fill the boredom with creative card games. My friends and I usually play triple solitaire, and it is a great way to bond and relieve stress.”
For many teachers, the shift from students scrolling on social media during their free time to playing cards is refreshing. Upper School history teacher Bridget Hennessy, for instance, has noticed the rise in popularity of playing cards since the phone ban.
“I love seeing kids playing cards and interacting in various ways in the Learning Commons during free periods,” Ms. Hennessy said.
The recent obsession with card games has shifted the culture at Latin into one where students are encouraged to engage in healthy competition, take a break from their stressful work days, and build relationships that go beyond the classroom. For the junior class, with a large workload, intensive extracurriculars, and added pressure for college, playing cards may just be the perfect outlet to relieve their stress.
“I love that we have started this new tradition of playing cards, as it is always something that I look forward to,” Lilah said. “I hope that we can continue to play cards even as the year gets more challenging, because it really is such a fun way to spend time with friends during the school day.”
