Yes, I still play Pokemon GO and no I am not ashamed. I started this game way back when it was first released then quickly gave up for a reason that I no longer remember. This game was reintroduced to me when my friend had me redownload it after she got back from France. She said it is very popular there due to the amount of public transport.

It was weird to just sit there and stare at people on the bus so you could either do that or do what everyone else did and play Pokemon. This is actually a ton of fun and we spend some of our time just going to poke stops because it is a reason to leave the house and be active.

Also as a disclaimer, I do not play this alone and I almost always have someone with me so being with strangers is not a big concern for me! Be safe!

1. It gets you active.

Obviously, you would not get very far if you played the game from your home. You need to get out to go find poke stops, raid, battle, and catch more Pokemon. Walking is also the only way to get your eggs to hatch and to further your progress with your buddy, which is a Pokemon that you choose to have been with you all the time.

2. It is something to do not at your house.

Sitting at home on a nice day is boring and sometimes you just need a reason to leave, so why not play Pokemon? It sometimes even gets me out of the house early to hit a few poke stops before I go to work. I leave also for the pure aspect of catching a bunch of different Pokemon that I can't catch from the comfort of my home.

4. There are a lot of cool people to meet.

I meet so many really cool people that I would not have met otherwise. I mean, I have never had more trust in a stranger than I have when we all just won a raid and I need them to catch that rare Pokemon with the last two balls that I have left. I have handed my phone off to these random strangers and had such good conversations with them that it makes me wish I had done this all along.

5. You can reunite with old friends.

One day during a raid I even caught up with one of my best friends from high school and his group of friends. Needless to say, all six of us were playing, formed our own team, and basically walked all around main street to raid and catch Pokemon. It was a fun and unexpected surprise.

6. It's a conversation starter.

Nothing starts a conversation on the right foot quite like a guy yelling "Hey are you doing the raid too?" from across the street as he sees you walking up only looking at your phone. When you see a group of people on their phones you can assume that they are probably playing that and it makes talking to them so much easier. It is just a ton of fun to talk to new people and you might even make a friend or two.

7. You can rekindle your childhood love as an adult.

I am not afraid to admit that I had a huge binder filled with Pokemon cards as a kid. I did nothing with them except look at them and collect them. Other people are different and I know there are some of you out there that really lived for Pokemon and so now this is your grown-up way of loving that game again.

8. It's a fun way to entertain kids.

The amount of parents that I have seen playing alongside their kid is amazing and gives me hope that some parents are actually good parents. They are not only taking them out to a fun place but doing something fun as well. It is also something fun to do with your niece/nephew, or even a kid you are baby sitting.

9. It inspires teamwork.

Raids take time and people. While each player is on their own team, you all have to put fourth the effort to defeat the Pokemon in the gym so you all can catch it. Teamwork also comes in when people drop lures to attract Pokemon at poke stops or even when you are unable to capture a Pokemon like myself.