By Megan Oliver
Distribution Manager
The new semester system isn’t the only new thing coming to CSU Bakersfield. Over the summer the release of the new Pokemon Go application has increased campus traffic as Pokemon enthusiast roam around the public university in their search to catch them all.
With the campus having approximately 40 PokeStops and three gyms, there are plenty of areas to keep the players occupied.
The amount of PokeStops on campus lure people to play that are not students.
Bakersfield resident Mindy Scofield and her two children often visit the campus just to play the game.
“We come to collect items and walk around in order to hatch our eggs because it is a great place to collect items,” said Scofield.
Scofield mentioned how bringing her children to search for Pokemon at CSUB makes her feel safer than in other places around Bakersfield.
The University Police Department said that they have not had any big issues with security from people playing the game besides traffic.
“People were driving where they shouldn’t be in order to get to PokeStops,” said Sargent Mari Gonzalez.
Gonzalez said that drivers would slow down to collect items from the PokeStops, which would slow down traffic. Besides the traffic issues, there have been no other issues.
According to Gonzalez, the game has actually been helpful to Campus Police. By getting on the game, they are able to see where all the PokeStops are located. Knowing where they are located allows Campus Police to have an idea of where most people are on campus.
While most teachers have strict policies when dealing with students being on their phones during class, it is still yet to be determined how this new game will affect the classroom once the new semester begins.
However, according to Charles Lam, a teacher in mathematics, it is really up to the students on how they want to handle it.
Lam said, “If students choose to lose out on important information it is their problem,” he also stated. “If the students find the game more important than their classes and…they fail that, it is their problem as well.”
Overall, the game has brought many benefits to campus. It allows people to be more interactive with each other.
Gonzalez said that she has seen many people hanging out around Pokestops and interacting. She said watching them interact reminded her of a block party.
Since its release Pokemon GO has become a popular game for many people. With the access to catch Pokemon and hatch eggs just by walking around while on your smartphone or tablet.
The game includes features such as PokeStops, which offer supplies to trainers, and gyms to showcase your best captures and represent your team. The game offers three choices in teams to choose from which are Team Valor, whose symbol is the legendary Pokemon Moltres, Team Mystic, who uses the legendary Pokemon Articuno as their symbol, and finally Team Instinct with the legendary Pokemon Zapdos as their symbol.
In order for trainers to compete by holding down gyms is to make sure you have a stockpile of Pokeballs and various potions that can be either purchased or gathered for free at numerous PokeStops located all over.
