Pokemon Go is the new game that has swept the world off its feet. People are now actually going outside and exercising in the hopes that they will capture a Caterpie or a Squirtle. I played the Pokemon games when I was a kid and loved them... I still do. I used to have an emulator on my phone to play the old games in my spare time, so Pokemon Go is something I'm not against, it's just not something I'm quite ready to download onto my phone for a variety of reasons.

1. I don't have time.

I have work, I have things I have to get done before I go back to school, I have a precariously leaning tower of books I want to read, I have a box full of DVDs to watch. I just don't have time to chase around Pokemon right now. Not downloading the app is the only way I can ensure that some of the responsibilities and tasks I need to complete actually get done.

2. I don't have the space on my phone.

This morning my phone warned me that I was running low on space. I have 32 gigs on my phone and an extra 32 on my SD card. The problem is I save all of my apps to my phone memory, so my storage space is running low on the phone even though the SD card has plenty of space. I don't want Pokemon Go on my SD card because that is where I save pictures, music, and movies. I don't want the app monopolizing my car entertainment or snapchat screenshots from days long ago!

3. I don't want to be the very best.

Downloading Pokemon Go would basically be my childhood all over again. My brother got it before me and therefore got a huge head start. I don't want to be the very best if that means I'm just chasing my brother hoping I can somehow catch up to him while simultaneously knowing its probably not possible.

4. I don't want all of my data to disappear.

I get 10 gigs a month of data. Once thats gone, there is no Netflix, no Facebook, no email, no nothing. The wifi at our house is to be used for school and work purposes only unless it's between the hours of 2am and 6am. So, unless I want to Pokemon Go in the wee hours of the morning, it would suck away all of my data in about 2.5 seconds which would make me a very upset trainer for the rest of the month.

5. What if it can't live up to my expectations?

I remember loving Pokemon as a kid. What if I don't love Pokemon Go and it taints my memory and opinion. I already refuse to play newer versions of Pokemon because of mega evolutions and other new features that I deem to be cheating and too far from the original, what if Pokemon Go makes me forget how much fun I had destroying the elite four in Crystal?

6. I, on principle, dislike games where those who are willing to spend real life money can gain advantages.

I understand this is a super common thing for apps to do. I realize I have some of these games on my phone already. I realize this seems trivial. But when I played Pokemon, you earned every stinking badge and level up that you got. You didn't buy your way to achievement, you earned it. I think kids today need to learn how to achieve by actually doing something worth celebrating rather than purchasing it.

7. I don't want to try to navigate this new world of team rivalry.

I'm in a GroupMe with my coworkers. They get so hostile about what team they're on and which team is the best and I don't want to join a team and then be ostracized at work, school, or by strangers who are wandering around Walmart with me. Teams have been compared to all of my favorite fandoms, like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones. What If I'm Team Instinct for Game of Thrones by Team Mystic for Harry Potter and Team Valor for another one of my shows. Now what is being asked of me is to choose my favorite fandom to choose my Pokemon team. This is a conundrum. I can't make a choice!

8. I don't want my life to be consumed.

If I download this app, you will see me walking around the streets of my town, my college, this world. You will not see me doing what I'm supposed to be doing. You will not see me talking to you. You will see me chasing Pokemon from sun up to sun down. Why did I miss class my professor asks? I was chasing down a Charizard and was too close to give up. Why didn't I show up for my own birthday party? A Dragonite was near me and I couldn't tear myself away from the opportunity.

9. I don't need another reason to look at my phone.

My phone distracts me enough as it is. From the bicycle bell noise it makes when I get an email, to the Law and Order text tones for my parents, to the sound of Facebook Messenger, to it vibrating with device alerts...it's a pretty distracting device. I don't need it buzzing at me to tell me there is a Pidgey nearby. I'm pretty sure the police officer isn't going to think thats a valid excuse for rear ending someone.

10. I have real life animals to train, feed, and heal.

I have four horses. If I'm looking for somewhere to donate my unwavering attention, it should be to them. I need to feed them, brush them, bathe them, train them, take care of them when they're hurt, avoid letting them battle one another. I've already got Pokemon. My party is full at 4, and they're the ones I need to keep an eye on for right now.

11. I don't want to give in!

Everyone has the game. Everyone wants everyone else to get the game. I don't want to give in to peer pressure. Really, I don't want to let them win! This is my life, I don't want it to be controlled by this game! I don't want them to have that control over me! I want the control! I want the power!

If you're like me, one of the few rebels who have resisted the urge to download the app, you might be feeling weak. I'm tempted each day to download it, but this list reminds me why that's not such a good idea. I have given myself permission to download it when I return to campus. I will have free wifi there so my data is irrelevant for the most part. I will have people to explain how the game works who aren't my brother, and I will likely be unable to escape it as everyone will have the game and there will probably be campus events surrounding it. For now, though, I hold fast in my resistance. I shall not be broken until I return to campus in August. I shall remain strong! Team "NO!" for the win!