PokemonGo has already taken over the app store for pretty obvious reasons—you can literally catch Pokemon IRL. Honestly, there's nothing more satisfying than spotting a Doduo on top of the head of some stranger on the train. Correction: actually catching it is more satisfying.
You were probably expecting to see an article about how dangerous this game could be, simply because many people might be so absorbed in chasing down the Charmander on the sidewalk, throwing Pokeballs left and right, that they might walk right into someone or something, or trip and fall, or injure themselves in some other terrible way. Don't worry; I've been more than aware of my surroundings while playing this game. In fact, I'm even more cautious because I never have my phone out when I'm in public, except to make a phone call or text my mom.
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Honestly speaking, I've actually become more aware of the things around me—the things that I see every time I leave the house for work actually look different (and not because of the Zubat that just appeared at the park). Because there are points in the game where you can stop to grab some more Pokeballs (and if you're lucky, snag an egg), I've come to discover the actual names of certain things, and notice certain details on buildings and locations that I've never noticed before.
I'm the type of person who always walks quickly and with purpose; I absolutely loathe walking slowly because I'm impatient. So I always face forward, keep my head up, and transport myself to my destination without missing a beat. I can see the hasty taxis turning right out of the corner of my eye as I wait before crossing; I see Starbucks on the corner and know that I'm just two blocks away from work; I even see the girl who's about to walk right into me because she hasn't picked her head up from her phone in a minute. But did I previously know that there were so many churches (aside from the ones I am familiar with) right in my neighborhood? Nope, not at all. Did I ever once notice owl gargoyles on the fence of the New York City park I walk past every morning? It's almost sad how I pay attention to my surroundings without actually paying attention to my surroundings.
Maps can tell you how far away you are from different street, and what turns you have to take to get where you need to go, but they don't always tell you about the really interesting things that are literally right next to you. And even when you're so caught up in a routine, you don't even take the time to get a little off course—throw normalcy to the wind and just take a small detour. You're carved out of stone and think you see everything—like those statues from Scooby-Doo that always have eyes on the gang's every move. But what have you really been seeing?
