It has been three days and Pokemon GO has swept my apartment and town. Taking afternoon walks have taken a whole new meaning by catching the Pokemon that spawn throughout my campus. While Pokemon GO seems to be another app that makes millennials stare at their phones for hours, its benefits in other lifestyle aspects are unheard of.
I downloaded the game the second day of its release. I started with a Charmander and saw lagging servers and screen glitches. Frustrated, I would restart the app every ten minutes or so. Soon I was searching for hints and ways to maneuver around the game and finally I realized I needed to get up and walk around to find more Pokemon.
A few weeks ago, I decided to get back into a healthy lifestyle of eating right again and exercising daily. Avoiding fries and burgers was easy but getting to the gym was always a struggle. That is until the gym took a whole new meaning. Pokemon GO became the incentive I needed to make time for daily walks. Last night my housemates and I walked for over three hours searching for Pokestops, lures, and even other players. Managing to catch a Pikachu, hatch four eggs, and meeting up with some familiar faces were just some of the highlights of the excursion. Soon enough, I had burned over 600 calories and leveled up on the app three times.
This app has done wonders on my mental health as well. The mental benefits from going outside and human interaction are astounding, although it is not so easily done. Overall, Pokemon GO has improved my mood and general attitude. My anxiety has calmed as the restlessness of staying inside has depleted.
While it drains my phone battery, the app uses your phone's GPS capabilities to locate you, using less data than most apps. This was a relief to hear coming from a college student who can't afford large data plans from carriers. Bugs are still being fixed so it is important to remember when playing that the app is still in beta testing.
Pokemon GO should be used with caution when near busy streets as the game can be a distraction in intersections. However, I believe the stigma of younger generations being glued to their phone will morph into a more productive outlook. Appreciating the artwork, sights, and wildlife around town are just some of the other perks of playing Pokemon GO.
I cannot wait to hear what Niantic has in store for future updates as game play progresses and Pokemon GO is released worldwide (including the releases of the legendary Pokemon). Until then, I will continue catching the abundant Weedles and Pidegys that plague my campus.
