It is no secret at this point that a new game has taken hold over the Manogue student body. Hacky Sack has become the new fad not only at Manogue, but all across the country. Students congregate at any free moment to play the game and sacks are selling out online, with sales being higher than they have in nearly 3 decades. Why exactly is this, though?
Hacky Sack originated in 1972, and gained mass amounts of popularity after being commercialized in the 1980’s. The game became synonymous with the general laid back style of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s skate, grunge, and hippie countercultures. It was known for its low stakes and casual nature, and being an extremely accessible game for anyone to play. The game mostly went the wayside when the culture it was associated with began to become dated. However, in the past several months Hacky Sack has taken over once more.
On various social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, searches for where to purchase hacky sacks and how to play the game have increased by over 600%. At any point of free time at school, students are playing the game. There are circles every lunch, before and after school, and in classes with no work to be done.
Many students who have never played before at all have become very fond of the game. Student Harper Westfall spoke to me about being introduced to the game. She told me that she was the lone holdout in her friend group to learn how to play Hacky Sack. She was trepidatious to learn, but was “surprised at how much fun I [she] had when I [she] played.” Each day it seems that there are more and more students joining in on the craze. It has become a source of newfound community for many people.
Gen Z and young adults are beginning to search for ways that they can make connections and participate in group activity without being online. Hacky Sack seems to be the first major example of that. Rather than sitting on phones at lunch, there are lively games being played. I personally think that Hacky Sack has taken such a hold is partially because there is no exclusivity. Anyone who wants to play can. There is a very small amount of material required to play, and it’s low stakes and fun. The objective is to work as a group and get better together. It’s a fantastic way to meet some new people and bond over a shared interest.
Even though some teachers find it to be distracting, I personally think that Hacky Sack is a much better alternative to being on your phone for an hour. Although some games can get rowdy, it is a subconscious exercise in working together towards a common goal and learning a fun new skill. Who knows how long the Hacky Sack craze will last, and there will inevitably be a new craze of the same sort- but for now, we should all enjoy the return of a fun, laid-back game in the midst of our ever-hectic lives and with summer on the horizon.
