You're probably tired of hearing about Pokemon Go and everything interconnected with it. It's all over the news, internet, and social media. The game has taken over the world like a storm. People from all over the globe chase after rare Pokemon in hopes of being the best.
I heard about Pokemon Go from friends, Twitter, and random people wandering my neighborhood. I never really understood the craze over it until I decided to actually PLAY the game. Turns out, Pokemon Go isn't just some game that an adult played to reminisce about the days of Pokemon on the Nintendo DS. Here's why it's more than just some silly old game.
1) The game gets you outdoors and moving.
Pokemon Go isn't a game that you can play while sitting on your couch. It isn't like Candy Crush, where you can play it from under the comfort of your covers. Instead, you MUST get off your sofa and chase these Pokemon that are wandering around your neighborhood. Not only do you need to chase the Pokemon, but you also need to walk to hatch eggs in the incubators. Surprisingly, I've found myself excited to run a 5k (even though it's more for the egg than the physical fitness).
2) It helps with anxiety.
By getting outdoors and getting physical fitness, Pokemon Go can help improve a person's mental health. Coming from someone who went through depression and has anxiety attacks, Pokemon Go is an amazing way to improve mental health. Physical fitness, even if it's taking a walk around your neighborhood, helps release endorphin that make people feel good and energized. Since Pokemon Go allows people to exercise while having fun, it raises their overall mood. This leaves people with depression and anxiety much happier and upbeat.
3) PokeStops helped me learn more about my community.
PokeStops are locations on the map that you visit to get items, such as PokeBalls and eggs. I thought that my city would not have many places worthy of being Pokestops, let alone my neighborhood. However, to my surprise, PokeStops lit up on my screen and I had so many places to visit and see. As I wandered around following paths towards PokeStops, I found places in my community that I had never known about before. I felt like I was discovering a whole new world through Pokemon hunting.
4) It benefits local shops and stores.
Local restaurants and stores can be recognized as PokeStops or gyms. As hunters come to these stops, they can rest up and get a bite. This helps with the promotion of local businesses and allows them to make money using Pokemon Go as lures.
5) The game helps bring together people of all age, gender, and nationality.
Pokemon Go has united so many people through its virtual game. Sometimes there will be huge crowds of people fighting to catch the same rare Pokemon, while other times they gather together to play one another at a gym. Recently, I saw on Facebook that hundreds of people would be gathering at local museums to play a huge race game of catching Pokemon. To contribute to the game, each person donated $5 to the museums. People from all over the state were gathering to play a fun game of Pokemon Go. Although there is a lot of controversty and conflict in our society, Pokemon Go has found a way to unite people in the simplest way possible: an app.
