Now that the chill of November is starting to infiltrate our bones, it’s time that we begin to focus on the important stuff. No more dressing up like Halloween characters or itching for our favorite show’s new season to begin. No more pseudo-cold nights as the freeze begins to creep into even the sunniest parts of the day. No more back-to-school excitement or open-toed shoes. Although we get to look forward to stuffing our faces on Thanksgiving in the coming weeks, there is a far more urgent matter that’s coming up right around the corner. Decisions will be made, opposing sides will be picked, and the world will be divided between two choices that will most certainly define our future. The fall of 2016 will leave a mark on the youths of the nation for years to come. We need to cast our votes for our favorites and cross our fingers that the decision was the right one.

We’ve waited. The U.S and others all over the world have sat in terrible anticipation waiting for the next installment in the long-awaited race to the finish line. Rumors have run rampant. We’ve read interviews, watched videos, and kept our eyes glued to the news with a rapt attention not seen in years. Though we’re nervous for the next step, people of all ages battle intrusive thoughts and doubts on the final outcome. What will this mean for the future? What will we do once we see the culmination of our decision? Will we regret our choices and wish that we chose the other option in the end? Regardless of how we feel toward the matter, we will know the final outcome in the next few weeks, whether we like it or not.

In the past, we’ve had limited options. We’ve seen some of our crowd favorites spit out and reused in different contexts and we still feel like we haven’t been moving forward no matter what nuances have been brought our way. We keep seeing the same thing over and over again. It’s been a caucus race of confusing ideas, unclear plans, and a mixture of worry and excitement to see which will carry the popular vote on their coattails. Nostalgic mutterings have kept us from truly moving forward even if a glimmer of the past offers a sense of familiarity and comfort. What we don’t like to see are old ideas being recycled and slapped with a shiny coat of paint while we pretend these ideas are “new” and “entertaining” while the choices ultimately ignore what their audiences truly want: change.

We’ve had debates with our friends over the pros and cons of each. Though the past installments have maintained a good reputation, the fears over the legitimacy of the new era have all of our hands twined in our laps, fingers searching for holds as we try to understand new, undocumented territory.

Regardless, the choice is ours and only we have the power to make the final decision. In the end, I’m sure we’ll all be happy with the outcome. Each new Pokémon game will undoubtedly create an immersive experience that we’ll all be happy to be part of.