With the popularity of “Stranger Things,” role-playing games such as “Dungeons and Dragons” are making a comeback. Kids can once again be seen putting off their homework to squeeze just one more hour of fantasy fighting into their day before they go to bed.

With the endless possibilities for adventure and excitement, it’s easy to dismiss this type of pastime as “just for fun” and nothing more. However, there are hidden benefits. Role-playing games help you to have quicker reactions, build communication skills, and create social circles.

When you are in the midst of a battle between your team of threadbare elves and dwarves against a gang of wily goblins, your reactions have to be quick and decisive. There’s no time to dawdle when your character’s life is on the line. This is quite challenging to new players, but they quickly learn to make their decisions swiftly and definitively.

Jon Michaud, a writer for “The New Yorker,” stated that “Dungeons and Dragons” helped his friend create two successful companies, one of which was obtained by Google.

“The predatory dangers of a dungeon are good preparation for the cutthroat world of business,” his friend said.

Within the past year I myself have joined the masses playing “Dungeons and Dragons.” At first, I was quite timid. I had never played anything like this before, and I had no idea where to begin. I sat back and let the more experienced players make most of the decisions.

But over the course of a few sessions, I learned how to talk with my teammates and devise a strategy before venturing into a mysterious cave. We made group decisions on who should do what according to their skill and their usual course of action. I learned how to voice my concerns, and explain my point of view. In the real world, I notice myself speaking up more in my classes, and sharing my thoughts and opinions during group discussions.

One of my friends, Zach Wagner, leads his own campaign (adventure) during our school’s Role-playing Games Club. According to him, the more timid members of his club have started opening up to people and developing new friendships, just within the two months since school has started. They are leaving their Hobbit-holes to go on epic adventures. Maybe not to Mordor, but somewhere equally as exciting, like an abandoned castle that once was inhabited by vampires, or a food stop where the staff are lizard people and their patrons are all monkeys.

Even if there weren’t measurable benefits to role-playing games, they allow one to use their imagination for amusement. That’s what makes life worth living- being able to relax and enjoy the moment.