Can we talk about how great Pokémon Go is? I know it’s only been like a week, but its honestly hard to remember what life was like before this app became a large part of our lives, and Facebook feed. Of course with anything popular there will be a bit of backlash from some of those who aren’t enjoying catching Pokémon all over town. Yet, there are plenty of benefits for those on the app, with added bonuses for ’90s kids who grew up watching Ash and Pikachu. If anyone tries to tell you that Pokémon Go is for people with nothing better to do, you can smile, knowing the 14 benefits of playing with this augmented reality.
1. Exercise.
The most obvious benefit, so I’ve listed it first. You probably know the importance of exercise, but it’s often hard to be motivated enough to work out at a gym. Pokémon Go is that push for exercise, because it’s fun, it can be social, and if you aren’t around Pokémon you can still walk to hatch eggs. Like many others, my legs have been sore for days, but it’s definitely worth it.
2. We’re now living childhood dreams.
Look ’90s kids, we are Pokémon trainers! It’s basically almost entirely real, and pretty darn close to living in the anime, all things considered. And this is nothing our parents would have even dreamed existed when they were little.
3. Building something local.
People are outside more. People are travelling to the Pokéstops, often favorite local businesses. This boosts an important aspect of our economy and the vibrant atmospheres of where we live. I’ve seen more of the smaller nooks of the towns around me in the past few days than I have a long while. I’m pretty sure I’ve even seen some little sculptures in a local parks I’ve never even been to before.
4. Casual conversations.
I’ve had so many little conversations with strangers that only happened because of Pokémon Go. Walking at night around parks, my guy friends carried out an entire fake conversation from across the street with each party pretending to be catty white teenage girl stereotypes. My group was talking loud enough, and they joined in without missing a beat. This is bringing people together in beautiful ways.
5. Compared to other apps on your phone, it’s pretty social.
I never play Pokémon Go alone, and dragging friends and family to go on walks with me is my new favorite activity. Really, so many games and social media sites have you sitting disconnected to the people around you. While with friends who are also playing we are talking about strategies, narrating our catches, and just chatting in general.
6. Gaining confidence.
How awesome did you feel when you caught your first Pokémon? Or the first difficult one? And how you’ve blasted through levels, won medals and walked enough to hatch tons of eggs? Eventually you may even experience the feeling of having won a gym battle, or having evolved several of your Pokémon. These are nifty confidence boosters at just the right amount of intervals.
7. Getting to enjoy nature
Pokémon Go has taken us to places surrounded by nature we may have forgotten about, and haven’t been to often enough as the world around us changed. These are peaceful places to make you happier as you catch your excessive amount of Pidgey and Ratatta.
8. Getting back into ’90s childhood nostalgia.
Hello, 173 episodes of the original 1997-2002 television series, you will keep me busy for a while. Also my brother just found our old Pokémon “Special Pikachu Edition” game for our GameBoy Colors. When I couldn’t find it in my room I thought it was gone forever. It was devastating after the sudden memories came rushing back. I had ached to play it, but now that I’m charging my old GameBoy Advance in preparation, I don’t know if I’ve ever been happier.
9. Wait, not nostalgia exactly.
“Nostalgia” for me has always meant a painful longing for the past. Kids of the '90s have a lot of pain for the past, because with the sudden rise of technology our childhood feels like it happened longer ago than they did. But Pokémon Go, has given something from the past that isn’t painful because we get to live in it now. It’s not a feeling we can’t come back to. Finally time has gifted us with watching Pokémon as kids, and the ability to catch them as young adults.
10. Simply said, it’s a new hobby.
Spending time on video games tends to be looked down upon in our society. Well this video game gets you outside, gets you to exercise, and fills your life with a little more purpose.
11. I’m using my phone less.
Yes, less. I know it’s counter intuitive, but it eats your battery, so if you know you’re going out to hunt later, you really want to save it up. Plus using GPS, higher brightness from being outside, and constantly running a complicated app has really been heating up my phone. I want my phone to last, so I’ve been using my laptop when possible, and you know, reading books and stuff instead.
12. Embracing the lifestyle.
In dressing with practicality in mind to go chase Pokémon, and spending more time outside with guy friends, I’ve found my old tomboy style again. I'm feeling way more confident this way. As a little girl, religiously watching and playing Pokémon wasn’t seen as the girlest thing to do, and I probably wasn't the girlest thing at that point in my life. The piece of me that was ecstatic to rent the Pokémon movies from Blockbusters, carried a Pikachu lunchbox, and wanted to dress like Ash never really went away. I’m glad to be nurturing it.
13. A needed escape.
Tired of all the drama surrounding politicians? Tune into the drama of trash talking rival teams instead! The nightly news hasn't been the brightest lately, and it's a tiny escape to throw some hilarious memes of relatable Pokémon Go moments onto your Facebook page.
14. Inclusion
Let’s be honest — it’s really fun to be swept up into a hype for something so popular so instantly.
