Lindsay Casey, a chemistry teacher who loves the complicated intricacies of chemistry, also indulges in conversations about the occasional recent video game that has been released. 

Video games peaked Casey’s interest since she was very young, and she’s still interested in the new forms video games take. She is intrigued in games as a form of escapism, and loves the interesting environment the games create. 

“I like that I can explore worlds I’ve never been to, take on a different personality, or do things that I wouldn’t normally be able to do in real life,” Casey said. 

Her favorite game is “The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” for its quirkiness and nostalgia as she loved playing it on the Gameboy.

Most students are used to teachers not knowing what the students are talking about, but her students find it interesting that she can relate to liking video games. 

“It’s awesome when people share interests with you, especially teachers,” said sophomore Cassidy Schmidt. 

Video games aren’t Casey’s only interest though. Casey has a great passion for chemistry and it’s something that Casey connected with when she first started learning about it in high school. 

“Chemistry was the first class that really made me think about the big picture when it comes to our world,” Casey said. 

Being a chemistry teacher or even majoring in chemistry wasn’t something Casey originally planned, though. Initially, she majored in pre pharmacy but quickly realized that wasn’t what she wanted to pursue, so she changed her major to chemistry.

Chemistry interested Casey so much she pursued a career in the field. She loved the chemistry, but the job involved little to no human interaction and she desired that in a job. 

“I still loved chemistry but realized later that I wanted to teach it,” Casey said. 

Becoming a chemistry teacher allowed her to meld the chemistry that she loved with the human interaction that was lacking in her job as a chemist. Teaching is not without its drawbacks, though. 

“Being a teacher is much more stressful than working in a lab in the chemical industry,” Casey said. 

Though being a teacher was a challenging journey, she can put her passion for video games to use to bond with her students. In fact, Casey sponsors an after school club for Esports and often talks to students about current games, her favorite being, “Overwatch.” She loves it for its variety of characters and different game modes. 

“I get into some deep video game conversations with students,” Casey said.

This year though, with the coronavirus keeping everyone home, Casey is unable to interact with the students like she’s used to. She can’t quite get into the interesting discussions about video games she used to. 

Casey’s favorite part of teaching chemistry is the lab aspect because it helps the students truly comprehend the content. 

“The first is the look on students’ faces when something clicks or makes sense, I can see your brains getting bigger,” Casey said. 

Unfortunately, “Being able to do and see everything we’re talking about in a real-life lab,” isn’t possible with the given restrictions of instruction for schools. 

Though she can’t see kids in person and do labs in person, she still manages to bring life to the classroom and make it comfortable for students with her approachability and her relatability with students. 

“She’s easy to get along with and fun,” Schmidt said.

It’s hard to argue that Casey isn’t a joy to have as a teacher as virtual or not, she always creates a welcoming environment for the students to interact with her. 

“Whether virtually, or in person, Mrs. Casey is up-beat, friendly, and very approachable,” the science department head, Ginger Brest, said. 

While the current circumstances prove a challenge, Casey still manages to be a great teacher and welcomes the students’ questions about chemistry and video games. She hopes to get back soon to see the students and do labs to brighten the students day. 

“You may meander and take some twists and turns, but everything is a learning experience,” Casey said.