This week has not been the easiest between struggling to make sense of a lot of new information and some new stressors in my personal life. I’m already late writing this post, but I would much rather submit something late than not at all (even if the 3 lowest grades get dropped). I cannot think of a single thing related to computer science or a career that I would like to write about right now, so I’m going to talk about my current favorite pastime instead – Pokemon GO!
I have never been into video games. I would go through phases of playing The Sims and Zoo Tycoon, but I really kind of hated things like Mario Kart and Mario Party. They moved way too fast for me and my cousins got SO into them that it just wasn’t fun for me. I hated fumbling with controllers and the gloating that was sure to come when I lost (which was every time I played). Other than the occasional Sims kick, I didn’t touch video games for about two decades.
That is, until one fateful day when my partner asked me to download Pokemon GO just so that he could make a new friend in order to complete a task. I made a jokey username and added his referral code, fully expecting to delete the game later that day.
It feels a little silly, but getting hooked on this game has been really helpful for my mental health. It’s winter here in Portland right now, so it has been raining more days than not for the past few months. I’m naturally a homebody and I tend to really hunker down when it’s cold and wet outside. That’s usually a recipe for a SAD season, but it’s been different this year. I still hate winter, but at least I am willing to venture outside multiple times a day – even in the rain.
In addition to the increased physical activity and vitamin D, having constant goals assigned to me with useful rewards given upon achieving those goals has given me some much needed dopamine hits. Yes, the rewards are useless outside of the game and yes, my eyes are glued to my phone a little more often than I’d like, but this silly little phone game has brought me happiness and enjoyment that I never thought I’d get from a game.
P.S. If anyone out there wants to play, I’ll happily send you my code!
