By Braden Ochs | Echo
Unless you were on a deserted island during the summer, you probably heard about or played Pokémon GO. It is a cell phone application that takes your surroundings by GPS and places Pokémon anywhere on the map, allowing you to interact with the outside world instead of being a couch potato. While it was more popular over the summer, we thought GO players returning to campus should be aware of the seven worst places to play Pokémon GO on campus.
1. Visiting Taylor Lake
Going to the lake to study or play volleyball is an awesome idea. Walking into the lake to catch a Blastoise is not. Enjoy the peaceful surroundings and leave the phone in your dorm room. If you want to catch something, get a fishing rod and bait. The lake is full of fish.
2. Attending Silent Night
Silent Night is one of Taylor's greatest and most recognized traditions ever. It's always thrilling to wait for the tenth point before erupting in cheers. What if you catch a rare Pokémon before that 10th point? Shouting for joy when you catch a Pokémon may not be the best thing to do when trying to be silent. Unless you want the student body to hate you, put down the game and enjoy this wonderful tradition.
3. Crossing The iron bridge
According to Upland legend, the Iron Bridge (somewhere between Upland and Matthews) is haunted by a bus full of students that died in the Mississinewa River. If you drive there at night, your car will shut down and you will hear the screams of dying children. Even if you wanted to find Haunter, you wouldn't want to disturb those children.
4. Walking into a DTR
That would be awkward. Imagine walking in on a guy and girl talking about what these last five dates have meant to them. You would never see it coming. They're just chilling, talking about their future and you storm past them muttering something about catching a stupid Rattata. What a way to end the night.
5. During a lecture
Playing during a lecture could incur dire consequences. For example, if you play during a psychology class, you could accidentally blurt out that you caught the magnificent Psyduck. Your professor would just think you are making weird Psychology jokes. When the professor thinks you are making Psych jokes, they question your ability as a student. When they question your ability, you also question your ability. When this happens, you quit school and become a llama salesman. Don't become a llama salesman; don't play Pokémon GO during a lecture.
6. Watching your favorite show on Netflix
Netflix is meant for the enjoyment of the viewer. You can't be a viewer if you aren't actually watching the show. You can't enjoy your favorite shows, such as "Stranger Things," if you're staring at the bright little Pokémon on your screen for the entirety of your Netflix experience.
7. Performing in Airband
Airband has been enjoyed by students, children and parents alike, for generations before cell phones, let alone apps. Performing in Airband is an honor, but when someone gets distracted by Pokémon GO while performing, it may not turn out so well. It only takes one person trying to catch a Charizard to make humans become dominoes rippling across the stage. That might be fun to watch for the crowd, but this one person will end up being hated by their floor. Don't be that guy.
Pokémon GO is a great game to play, as long as you are being smart with it. The game could fade out next week, but until it does, we need to focus on the world outside, not just the Pokémon world.
