For all those who still walk around without a screen in front of your eyes trying to catch fictional cartoons that are hiding at certain areas of town, you are not alone!
Call me old fashioned, but I remember the days, all of about a week and a half ago, when Pokemon Go didn't exist and phone-holding zombies did not drive or walk around craving to find little pictures on a screen in order to level up on a game.
Now if you're in denial like me over why there would be such a spectacular following for something that doesn't seem entertaining to you, then don't worry. Here are ten things I have found I can do better than those who are addicted.
P.S. Recovering Pokemon Go quitters: welcome back to reality. Here is what you have missed whilst you've been gone!
1. Read a book
When I get bored I can look down at the latest book that I'm reading and engage in meaningful, intellectual learning and fictional entertainment that doesn't turn my eyes into squares. Heck, sometimes I even get to read up to 10 pages before being knocked into by a Pokemon Go player as they chase Pikachu!
2. Walk around without a screen in front of my face
When I walk back from work after a long early morning shift I like to listen to some music to keep me upbeat on my walk back before climbing into bed for a nap. My phone hangs out snugly in my pocket until I get back to my dorm; therefore, I can enjoy the scenery on the way back without having a white screen in front of my face. Meanwhile, Billy over here nearly fell down the stairs due to his Pokemon addiction.
3. Listen to music that is not Pokemon-themed
The music I listen to is often from Spotify which contains a great diversity of themes and options that I can listen to, such as rock, audiobooks, classical or pop. I never have to quickly turn my music down in embarrassment of the Pokemon theme song or get annoyed that I don't have the ease of switching songs because of Pokemon. I have freedom in music choice. Sarah just turned bright red as our boss caught her playing Pokemon again because her volume was up too loud.
4. Engage in meaningful conversations with other people
Sometimes it’s nice, especially as an introvert, to be less sociable on a walk as it gives me time to think about life and what lays around me. Yet it is also nice to walk with a friend to the cafeteria or to work, too. We often get to talk about each others' lives and the latest news around town! Billy and Sarah went on a Pokemon Go walk together the other day. They didn't manage to look up once and only hugged when they caught a Pokemon in the campus garden.
5. Notice the beautiful creation around me
Talking about the campus garden, I love to look at the flowers and interesting vegetables and fruits that are growing there. I like to smell the fresh smells and to just take it all in. Pete managed to scare the chickens when he yelled that he had found a special character. He also squished half the lettuce as he got overly excited about his find.
6. Think before walking in front of a car
I have to cross a road near my residence hall every day; now people do not watch the campus speed limits, like one of my supervisors who recently got a speeding ticket on his way to work. I look three or four times before I cross that road and often take out one or both of my headphones if I'm not sure about what's coming. Billy, Sarah and Pete were out walking late at night in the middle of the road the other night when I nearly ran them over.
7. Work without worrying about the Pokemon sitting next to me
As I sat at cashier the other day, we came to a quiet period when I reached for my phone to play some Angry Birds. Unlike Pokemon, Angry Birds doesn't require me to move and can easily be paused and put down when someone unexpected comes over. Needless to say, my coworkers were so engaged in their Pokemon game that they forgot customers exist!
8. Walk wherever I want for however long I want
When I go on a walk or take my skateboard for a ride, I choose where I go on campus based on how I feel. I can also stay in one place for however long I want. Pete and Steven raced each other to the next Pokemon to see who could claim one faster; then they sprinted to their next location without even stopping for a moment to see the deer the other side of the river from them!
9. Stop and take a breath with no interruptions whatsoever
Running, running, running, okay need to stop, oh my gosh, breathe breathe. Yep, we've all been there with sweat everywhere, desperately thirsty and feeling like a dying animal until you realize you should take a breather and just soak it all in a minute. Sometimes I like to just stop, sit and watch the river on campus whilst thinking about the past couple of days and what I'm having for dinner. Steven doesn't have time to consider dinner or what he has done the past few days because he just got challenged by Anna to a fight at the new dueling gym.
10. Drive around my campus without running over anything at all
Here I am blaring out Demi Lovato whilst I prepare for her concert on Saturday at Hershey Stadium! And there is a driver taking their own sweet time, with no traffic and no obvious signs for slowing down. I overtake them and look back in my mirror to see what the holdup was. There was a phone is in the man's hand as he cried out "I caught him!" I roll my eyes!
Be safe peeps, play the Pokemon, zombie, take-me-away-from-reality game if you want, but please take a moment to notice the little girl waving at you or the deer staring at you from across the path!
