Stressed? Press A to water your crops

As the weather cools and the Bradley campus starts trading iced coffees for hot chocolates, something else happens too – students begin to hibernate.

Snow, finals and seemingly endless darkness are starting up and instead of doom-scrolling or scheduling yet another therapy session, more people are reaching for something different: cozy games.

Think “The Sims 4,” “Stardew Valley,” “Minecraft,” “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” – worlds where your biggest problem could be forgetting to water your plants, or deciding whether your room needs another couch.

There’s something poetic about curling up under a blanket while snow piles outside, listening to the soft pixelated soundtrack of “Stardew Valley” as you plant digital potatoes.

It’s calm. It’s safe. It’s self-care.

I used to feel guilty for spending hours on my “Animal Crossing” island, rearranging furniture instead of studying for class. But after one rough week, I realized those quiet hours were the only moments when my brain truly rested.

It wasn’t procrastination; it was permission to breathe.

And it’s not just college students feeling this shift. Even high-energy streamers are slowing things down.

Berleezy – famous for his chaotic playthroughs – has moments where he trades the screaming for silence, playing slower story-driven games where the goal isn’t to get a high score, but to feel.

Pokimane, one of Twitch’s biggest names, says that she’s drawn to games that feel more cozy and calm. It’s a reminder that connection with viewers doesn’t always come from competition. Sometimes, it’s found in decorating a virtual home or checking in on your digital garden.

Psychologists have also started to notice this trend. Studies suggest that routine-based “comfort games” can mimic mindfulness exercises, helping players regulate emotions through small, low-effort tasks.

In a world that feels overwhelming, pressing a single button to make something bloom can mimic reclaiming control.

When life feels cluttered with assignments, emails and notifications, I can open “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” and build a world where everything is mine to shape – from sidewalk patterns to the villagers I invite to stay.

Cozy gaming isn’t about escaping reality; it’s about softening it. It’s choosing peace, one pixel at a time.

So as winter closes in, I’m not apologizing for logging on instead of logging off. Maybe hibernation doesn’t mean shutting the world out – perhaps it just means finding softer reasons to stay in it.

Because mindfulness can look like meditation, journaling or yoga – but it can also look like building a house in “Minecraft.”

This season, self-care doesn’t have to mean silence. Sometimes, it sounds like calm music and the flick of a controller makes the world calm.