Slowing Down in a Fast-Paced World

Remember when watching TV was an event? When, to catch your favourite show, you had to pore over the TV Guide to check that it was on at the usual time (and not *gasp* a RE-RUN) and make sure you were on the couch at 9 p.m. sharp to avoid missing even a minute? Not to mention sprinting to the kitchen and back during the commercial break and hearing a frantic cry of “IT’S BACK ON!” from the family room. 

In 2022, instant gratification is the order of the day. We can choose from thousands of shows and watch them whenever and wherever we want. “Binge watching” is now a familiar phrase - it’s all too easy to find yourself plowing through a half-dozen episodes of the latest show without even realizing it (and staying up way past your bedtime).

There’s not much we have to wait for these days, and maybe that’s partly why the website-only word game Wordle has become so popular. The Wordle phenomenon has swept through Greenwood, with students and staff alike rushing to play every morning. By design, you can’t binge Wordle -- only one puzzle is posted per day -- and I think this is a huge part of the game’s appeal. It leaves us wanting more, and it adds a little extra spark of joy to our mornings as we look forward to today’s puzzle.

This puzzle game has also made its way into the “Brain Warm-Up” rotation for many Greenwood teachers. Puzzles and brain teasers are an excellent way to prepare your mind to think critically and solve problems; our teachers also use them as “Brain Breaks” between tasks. We know that when we’ve been using our brains in the same way for a prolonged period, encouraging ourselves to stretch in a different way can leave us feeling refreshed and ready for the next challenge.

If you are not already a Wordle player, you may have noticed your friends and family sharing little grey, yellow and green boxes on social media and wondered what they meant. Everyone solves the same Wordle puzzle every day, and the graphics allow you to share your result without spoiling the game for other players. I have heard staff and students throughout the building comparing notes on their results, lamenting particularly difficult words and celebrating quick solves. Shared experiences are more valuable, and valued, than ever right now, and Wordle has created another thread that binds us together. (Not to mention, it also encourages a little healthy competition. I solved today’s puzzle in 3 guesses - how about you?)