Wavelength is becoming a student favorite for passing time in class. This enthralling yet slightly bemusing game is a team effort and fosters creativity, strategy, and connection. Wavelength can be played with any number of people. The game is started by one person, the guesser, closing their eyes while other players silently agree on a number. The guesser then opens their eyes and begins listing categories to which the other players name an object in that category that they believe correlates with that number on a one to ten scale.
Sophomore Katherine Schulman was first introduced to Wavelength during her freshman year and can be considered a true Wavelength veteran. She happened upon the game one day in her journalism class, where a gaggle of freshmen were playing an intense round of some game they had discovered through the ultimate platform for transferring information, Tiktok. She was instantly intrigued, but it took her a minute to process what was going on, as Wavelength can be slightly perplexing to beginners. “The first time I played it was baffling, but once I started to get the hang of it, I was addicted and I still play to this day,” said Schulman. “My friends try to come up with creative questions, and my go-to has become ‘Stores in the WayPay Shopping Center.’”
As noted by Schulman, one of the key strategies to becoming a Wavelength pro is asking the right questions. The most challenging aspect of the game is that it is very opinion-based, which can result in skewed answers. For example, some may believe Wendy’s is a five among fast food restaurants, while others may give it a whopping 10. Categories can also become a little controversial, such as North Atlanta teachers – which is maybe not the category to choose when loudly playing Wavelength in your third-period Theory of Knowledge class. Junior Morgan Todaro is a seasoned Wavelength guesser and has crafted a list of questions appropriate for all crowds. “‘Days of the Week’ is a classic, or ‘Places to Go in the United States,’” said Todaro. “If they say something like Kansas, it’s a dead giveaway that the number is one.”
Wavelength is one of those games that can go on for any amount of time without boredom because there is no limit to what questions can be asked. Junior Katherine Hoover says it’s one of her favorite ways to pass the very little downtime she gets throughout her school day and can also be used as an icebreaker. “I love playing Wavelength in classes where the desks are arranged in tables,” said Hoover. “It’s a fun way to connect and get to know people you’ve never really talked to before.”
Next time you have a long road trip ahead of you or you’re waiting for your dentist appointment and they’re taking a really long time, consider striking up a game of Wavelength. It’s more than just an entertaining pass-time. It’s a catalyst for connection, understanding, and laughter.
