I never played video games as a child. My mom didn’t really believe in them, and I already had plenty of books and outdoor activities to keep me from being bored. I had plenty of friends who loved them dearly, and if I’d actually spent time trying any out, I’d probably have felt the same way.

Thus, when Pokemon Go first came out, I didn’t understand what all the hype was all about. It seemed like a colossal waste of time and (possibly) money to me. All the reviews I read were fairly lukewarm with praise, expressing frustration with glitches and laginess. It didn’t help that the island where my parents lived at the time apparently didn’t have any of the locations necessary to make the game really fun. I probably never would have downloaded it if one of my best friends hadn’t strongly urged me to. I saw her playing it literally all the time, so I decided to watch one day. As soon as I saw the cute little monsters appear on her screen, I knew I had to give it a try.

College is truly an ideal environment for the game. There are lots of places deemed “important” by Niantic, so that it’s pretty easy to regularly hit Pokestops to collect balls, gym items, and berries. All the Pokestops also mean that lots of Pokemon spawn constantly within easy walking distance. I’ve barely played off Lafayette’s campus, and between wild spawns and egg hatching I have most of the Gen 1 dex completed, and I’m already making a good dent in Gen 2 even though it was just released.

The benefits of Pokemon at college extend far beyond convenience. First and foremost, Pokemon Go is a social activity. Most of my friends play, and we’re forever talking about the game, updating each other on the whereabouts of rare Pokemon, and spending time together while playing. While it occasionally leads to a little jealousy and competition when someone finds a Pokemon no one else has, or when best friends are on different teams, all in all it’s still fun at the end of the day.

Pokemon Go is also an excellent motivator for exercise. It’s necessary to walk to catch wild spawn Pokemon, and eggs also require walking to hatch. It serves as a kind of pedometer, since it tracks the distance you walk your buddies and eggs. While it can be slightly distracting at times, overall the app can be a fantastic excuse for getting yourself up off the couch or out of bed. Pokemon are also a nice semi-substitute for having pets at college. Even if I can’t have actual cute animals with me here, at least there are plenty of digital monsters to play with and keep me company!