I feel like I have dropped the ball by taking so long to write about Pokémon Go. Although the game has only been out for six days it almost seems like it has been out for six months. The coverage, enthusiasm, and obsession with the game has far surpassed what most would seem possible for a time period of under a week.

But here we are. Our country is caught up in Pokémon Go Mania. What do I think about it? Just give me a paragraph or two before answering that.

For the past four days, I did all I could to research and learn the game. I read forums, watched media reports, and tested the game out myself through trial and error. After a day or two of that, I changed my approach and did something else: I talked to college students.

Working on a university campus gives me access to bright minds who eat, drink, and sleep with the latest trends…Pokémon Go included. After picking the brains of students, a lot of my questions were answered and I felt I could somewhat navigate the game.

The crash course led me to creating some content surrounding Pokémon Go here at Coastal Carolina. It also made me feel confident enough to speak about the game to the media this morning. Furthermore, it provided me with the basics to actually play the game with a decent understanding of what I was doing.

With this said, I must let it be known that I am not crazy about Pokémon Go. I have absolutely nothing against it at all, I just don’t find it that fun. To me, the game is too slow. It bores me. I don’t get too excited about the “augmented reality” component either. When a Pokémon appears and the camera flips on, it doesn’t look cool or high tech to me. Rather, it just looks like a piece of clip art against the backdrop of the road I am on.

But what I do like about Pokémon Go is the excitement it has created. I like the joy it has brought to so many people. Even though I might not particularly care for the game, I had a great time walking with Sidney around the neighborhood yesterday as we both tried to “catch them all.” I find it cool that Pokémon Go is something that everyone knows about and that it actually fosters social interaction and physical activity. And, to be completely honest, I also like the game’s music (just ask Sidney, when I play I must have the sound on).

So I am not a big time Pokémon Go player by any means. I could live without it. But I do admire the stir it has caused and I look forward to see where the app stands a week from now. Don’t Blink.