Cambridge is nothing if not repetitive. The 8-week cycle of essays, lectures, supervisions, and holding back tears in the library is as predictable as ever, which is why — as annoying and clichéd as it sounds — it is important to take a break. With the allure of pubs, picnics, and punting, we really are spoilt for choice. These are all exciting and much-talked-about possibilities, but this is my attempt to convince you to break out of your routine and take a trip to The Box Room, Cambridge’s very own board game cafe.

Bear with me now — I know the mention of board games can conjure stereotypical images of sweaty, middle-aged men playing Dungeons and Dragons in their parents’ basement, or recall unwanted memories of that one family game of Monopoly that nearly ended in estrangement. But the notion that board games are for one specific demographic of people is frankly outdated, and a new wave of games has enriched the market, with far more to choose from than simply Scrabble or chess.

“The notion that board games are for one specific demographic of people is frankly outdated”

With around 140,000 options to explore, there’s something on offer for everyone, from card-collecting, dice-rolling, and world-building games to battles, races, and push-your-luck adventures. The upsurge of board game cafes bears testament to the recent revival of this hobby.

Walk into The Box Room on Regent Street and you’ll be greeted with over 500 games lining the walls and tables of young people (yes, people your age) chatting animatedly as they play. If you’re ordering food or drinks the games only cost £2 per person per hour — a bargain if ever I heard one. You can browse the shelves, look at the cafe’s online games library in advance, or ask a friendly member of staff for advice on what to play.

I went to The Box Room for the first time when a friend from home came to visit. It was the first time she’d met my university friends, but after half an hour of collecting zoo animals and building enclosures, they were as thick as thieves (and close to becoming literal thieves as competition escalated over the final flamingo).

Board games provide a communal point of interest, allowing you to connect to those of all ages and walks of life. In my extended family, there are conversations that my younger cousins can’t participate in and kids’ activities which the adults have no interest in joining, but we can all enjoy playing a game together. At the risk of sounding like my mother, there’s something special about prioritizing quality time with the people you love in the form of a screen-free activity. Even if the game itself doesn’t go to plan (my grandad once spent an entire game of Ticket to Ride waiting for a grey train card to be turned over, only to discover at the end that grey spaces are wild and can be played on with any colour), the experience is likely to be funny, wholesome, and bonding.

“Board games transport you into a different world”

Much has been said for the brain-boosting benefits of board games. They can increase IQ, improve literacy, numeracy, memory, and motor skills, and even ward off dementia. This is missing the point: it may be true, but it’s simply not your main motivation.

The real win of board games is the social aspect; forget priming your cognitive functions, this is a chance to do something completely unrelated to your degree. Board games transport you into a different world, and especially somewhere as insular and all-consuming as Cambridge, that can be exactly what you need. Our time here is precious and limited, and although it’s easy for Easter term to become dominated by revision, you need to leave the library at some point.

The Box Room hosts social evenings where you can meet like-minded people, learn from more experienced game-players, and embrace the chance to try something new. The atmosphere is warm, welcoming and relaxed, allowing you to make new friends as well as enjoy quality time with familiar faces. Perfectly scheduled to fill the harrowing absence of Rumboogie at Revs, these evenings are run every Wednesday from 7 to 10pm — I’ll see you there.