Why you don’t need Pokemon Go to Explore your city

“Oh shit — there’s a Pikachu crawling under your desk!”

Said no one…since 1997. And, that would have only happened if your precious binder of cards fell onto the ground. Until recently — when our office buildings and parks and subways have become immersed with Trainers.

Pokémon Trainers.

These new members of society are changing the shapes and sounds of our cities. They are guided by maps that make living more interesting than Normal.

That’s because these trainers are immersed in a world of Virtual Reality — one that does not always align with Real-Life Reality (see this & this).

But, instead of the hyper-sensationalized debates we’ve been reading about, we’re more interested in understanding these new human interactions: Pokémon Go has made us question what it takes to get out of the humdrum of our everyday.

And, we’ve realized that it takes Charizards and Squirtles and Pikachus for people to chat with strangers. It takes the security of our cell phones to have real, live interactions with other humans.

So, we challenge you to think: Why is that normal?

All We know is that Pokémon Go, a Nintendo app, is is already having a profound impact on our public spaces, labor markets and people’s general happiness (i.e. you can quit your day job to become a Real Life Pokemon Trainer).

At On Adulting, we’re telling you that you don’t need to waste your data on these magical maps.

Stop and smell the Rosé instead: Get outside and Explore.

The Random occurs Everyday

The best part about living in (or near) a city is finding the Unexpected.

No matter how many Gothamist emails you can skim before Friday afternoon drinks begin, you will never know everything that is happening in your neighborhood.

So, get Outside.

I can’t even tell you how many times my boyfriend, Dupi & I have walked outside with no plans (I mean — are we millennials or what?) except to Explore. We’ve found everything from street fairs to free rooftop pool parties to outdoor art exhibits to impromptu picnics.

We’ve taken coffee brewing classes and bike repair workshops (we don’t even have our own bikes) just because we opened our eyes. Because we are curious. Because we peruse and wander and go down random side streets.

And, some of the best days are ones with no real activity at all. They are ones where you just sit in a park and pick up a random game of soccer. Or people watch at a coffee shop. Or strike up a conversation with a long-time resident of your neighborhood (you never know how long those may last…).

They happen when you forego Netflix and Bar Hopping and PJ-Saturdays (not that I disagree with any of those — I’m all for sleepy weekends too). But, there’s something more exciting about Discovering newness all on your own.

It gets at the whole reason We exist, you know? It taps at something deep inside you.

And plus, when you’re searching for memories in a decade or two, the late-night pizza eating won’t be at the top of the list.

It doesn’t cost $$ to Explore

The (second) best part about Exploring your city is that it costs nothing.

The aspect of Exploration — discovering the New — when you do it genuinely doesn’t come with a price tag. It happens by being Present. By letting yourself feel amazed by the random.

And you know? That can happen just by getting out of bed.

Public parks, fairs, museums, workshops, outdoor concerts, hiking, etc all cost 100% less money than your bar tab will (because well, they’re free).

You don’t always need to travel around the world to have New Experiences. You don’t always need fancy dinners & drinks to have Fun.

It’s about the little things. It’s the moments when you stumble upon a street fair with a live band and spend the afternoon dancing all silly (maybe with a little bit of wine). It’s the moments when you decide to bike to the opposite side of your city just for the view.

And these little moments do not result in stressful searches for your credit card the next morning.

Your life becomes way more Cool

When you become an Explorer, your life becomes infinitely cooler.

People are constantly wondering: “How did you find…?”

You become the go-to expert on where to go, what to do, and how to find the Best and Coolest things. When all you’re really doing is Living.

So, expect an influx of inquiry & jealousy.

But, don’t let that stop you. Or make you become an Explorer for the Wrong Reasons. Because, when you do something just for the Insta or the #hashtag or the likes or comments — you are not fully Living. You are doing things for others, for approval. And, that will never fulfill the need deep inside to Explore.

The coolest ones are always fully immersed in a moment or themselves or those they are with. They explore for the sake of Exploration.

Which is why you don’t need an app to Get Outside & Explore

If you enjoyed this — check out my blog, On Adulting, for more observations about this weird time as a 20-something. And feel free to make the little heart green :)