We have all heard of the new trend, Pokemon Go. If you don’t have it yourself then odds are you know someone or multiple people who do. It’s everywhere. Almost as if it is the new tinder; I mean both apps require you to swipe to catch monsters in your area.

Being launched just over a month ago on July 6th, Pokemon Go has already gathered some pretty amazing numbers in statistics with many more to come in the future.

Please note: all of the following stats come from an article called “Hot Game: Amazing Pokemon Go Statistics” by Craig Smith on expandedramblings.com. Some of these numbers are easier to find than others which leads to the lack of guarantee for 100 percent accuracy.

In its first day on the market, Pokemon Go is said to have made between $3.9 million and $4.9 million and to continue making $10 million daily. Taking just 19 days to cross 50 million worldwide downloads, the app had accomplished more first week downloads from the Apple App Store than any other app in history. As of July 23rd there have been 20 million daily active users which adds up to a grand total of 100 million downloads as of august 1st. By July 13th 10.81 percent of those being on Android devices and 5.92 percent of those Android owners use Pokemon Go daily. As of July 26th 78 percent of Pokemon Go players are of the ages 18 to 24, but there are those younger and even older who enjoy the game as well; my 17 year old brother and even my boyfriends 66 year old father has the app! In all honesty here I, too, have the game on my phone and play it frequently. I originally got the app to impress my boyfriend, Cash, but I’d be lying if I said I’m not slightly hooked to it.

This active game has also opened up a new front for social interactions. When I was on a small little vacation with my guy in Brandon, SD, we visited a beautiful park that was full of people on their phones-I wonder what they were all doing. Seeing all of the phones out made my boyfriend and I itch to check our phones to see if there were any good finds around us; there were Pokestops everywhere. My favorite part about this situation was when one lucky citizen was the first among many to find out there was a Wartortle near by. There was one shout of the Pokemon’s name to alert everyone else in the park, which was then followed by repeated chants from others who had heard the warning. Seconds later practically everyone at the park (Cash and I included) was in one area with their phones all pointed in the same general direction. There were sighs of frustration mixed with exclamations of excitement as we all attempted to catch Wartortle. Sadly, I was among those who couldn’t catch him; the jerk kept escaping and I eventually lost him.

A commonly known area in St. Cloud, MN, is Lake George. I have visited it a few times during high school but never heard about it as much as I do now because of all the Pokestops located there. I went to Lake George with a friend of mine one night and there were tons of people there for the same reason we were; to catch ‘em all! I was reunited with classmates I graduated with and haven’t seen in over a year, as well as introduced to new people with tips and just fun conversations.

Not only is the app making local parks more popular but it is also benefiting businesses. One day while shopping at a mall I passed Claire’s and in the window there was a sign that advertised a sale for those who can prove they caught two or more Pokemon in the store. I have also seen other stores like Hot Topic or Spencer’s with merchandise proudly advertising the teams one can be on while playing Pokemon Go (Go Team Instinct). I was once asked by a manager at a Perkins to see if any Pokemon and or Pokestops were in the restaurant. When I delivered the news to her that there weren't any she was a mixture of upset and angry, “I want some here for good business!” she told me. I am also going to assume that phone companies will be making more money because of the game if they haven't already. This is logical because many Pokestops are out of reach of wifi which means in order to play the game in these areas one must use their cellular data; this can lead to more expensive purchases of larger data plans to ensure ‘financial safety’ when playing the game.

Now there is also a negative side to this situation. While stores and restaurants are attempting to gain more business from the game, there are some more inappropriate locations that are being hit with crazed users.

According to TMZ, Midwest Memorial Group (which owns 28 cemeteries including Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit where Civil Rights activist Rosa Parks rests) have issued a peaceful warning to Pokemon Go players. Cemetery officials have been reported to have asked players to keep off the premises because of the disruptive behaviors the searches have brought, including invasions of the grounds during funeral services. The Washington Post also reported recently that the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C has asked tourists to refrain from the three Pokestops in the building due to the decreasing respect for the museum itself.

I am going to take some time here to just remind those of you reading this to be safe and smart; be aware of your surroundings and please don’t play while driving.

Personally I would never go as far as interrupting a family grieving over a loss just to catch a Pikachu, but I am guilty of begging my father to stop the car or take a certain route so I could get closer to leveling up. You can make fun of us for getting into the game all you want but let’s face it everyone, we could be doing way worse.