Combine. 

Combine. 

Pause. 

Combine. 

Combine. 

Pause. 

Combine.

And just like that, she takes the win. 

To many others, the infamous game 2048 is impossible to play, but to freshman Medha Pedaprolu, all it takes is a couple of pauses and a few swipes of the thumb to beat the game. To put it plainly, to her, the game is a kindling of pure joy. 

“It’s a very simple game,” Medha said. “There’s not much to it, but its simplicity is what makes it so addictive.” 

But like all other masters of their craft, Medha started out as an amatuer. According to her, the game wasn’t always easy. 

“The first time I learned about the game was when one of my friends played it during computer science class last year,” Medha said. “But I really got into it on the plane ride back from India because there were no good movies to watch on the plane and then this game was there and was like oh- this might be interesting and I was like hooked for six hours.” 

Playing the game frequently, Medha can now reach 2048 on a regular basis. And over time, the game has become less of a casual activity and more of a full on commitment to Medha. 

“She actually plays this game a lot,” twin sister Sraddha Pedaprolu said. “She plays it during advisory, you’ll see her playing it on our phone on the bus, and she plays it a lot at home when she has free time.”

It isn’t just an addictive pass-time anymore, over time, it has become something more to her. 

“There are a lot of great things about 2048, but one of the biggest things for me is that it’s a game for all my moods,” Medha said. “So if I’m feeling like a little lazy I can just hit the buttons and do whatever, but if I’m feeling competitive I can use a formula and I can really get into it and use my brain.”

But by far, the best thing about playing 2048 for Medha is that she gets to spend quality time with her dad. Medha introduced the game to him one day and they have now made it a thing to play it together after school some days.

“When she initially showed me the game, it seemed like a timekiller,” Hari Pedaprolu said. “However I admit it’s very interesting to play. It expands your logical thinking while still being a fun pass-time. It’s nice to do something entertaining together.”