Sudoku is my drug of choice and it's a healthy addiction

By Donna Taketa
The Collegian

This addiction started about three weeks ago and I have to do it everyday. Cheap, time-consuming and a relatively satisfying pursuit, I refer to the phenomenon that is Sudoku.

And I’m not alone.

“Once you finish your third puzzle you’ll be hooked,” said sophomore Cy Hiyane who carries his Sudoku puzzle book with him to class.

“They’re addictive the better you become, and it’s not a hard skill to learn.”

These number puzzles can be found in The Fresno Bee, USA Today and even The Collegian and are all one more reason to pick up the paper.

In the past I’d noticed them around, but didn’t give the puzzles an attempt until I noticed a friend working through one.

No offense to this friend, but if he could finish one, then so could I.

I finished my first attempt with apparent ease and now I’m hooked.

Originating in Japan in 1979, Sudoku didn’t gain international popularity until this year.

Made up of 9x9 blocks, the objective is simple; all rows, columns and 3x3 sections must include digits one through nine with no repeats.

But beware, one misplaced digit and you’re sunk.

I’ve completed a simple Sudoku in ten minutes, however it’s the real doozies I’m absorbed by. Those puzzles give you a scant amount of numbers and require real logic.

Hiyane said the puzzles can fill boredom between classes and are easily transportable.

“They’re challenging and keep you occupied,” he said. “You can do them on long car rides, when you’re not driving of course.”

USA Today prints increasingly difficult puzzles as the week progresses. Just last night I caught myself working on one and with some effort put it aside to start on physics.

Therein lies the dilemma, although mentally challenging these puzzles have a downside. Don’t get too engrossed or they’ll erode your limited study time. Mid-term is perhaps the easiest time in the semester to become distracted.

Frustrated with a barrage of exams and papers, students may be looking for a diversion.

“It’s important to set aside time every day, even if it’s for five to ten minutes, for a quiet reflection, it could be at the beginning or at the end of the day,” said Kansas City psychiatrist Dr. Tammy Coder Mikinski on drdrew.com.

She also recommends getting at least six hours of sleep, writing lists of priorities and learning to say no to demands on your time.

But don’t despair when grades get you down and your head won’t absorb anymore new facts; take a breather.

Perhaps I’m a square when I say give Sudoku a try. It may jumpstart your brainwaves and give you some newfound confidence, or not.

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