Lina Robayo is motivated to go to her 8 a.m. class this summer. Not because of her love for psychology — because she’s excited to play Pokemon.

“Since my neighborhood has nothing valuable for game play, it motivates me to show up to class and stay awake and alert through the lecture,” the senior psychology major said. “It’s also encouraged me to stay on campus when I have one to two hour breaks between classes as opposed to staying home.”

With Wednesday’s release of Pokemon GO — an augmented reality game that uses a phone’s GPS technology and camera — Florida Atlantic students are joining in on the fun. 

The game is sitting steadily at the No. 1 spot in both the App Store and Google Play Store. It features opportunities for players to catch Pokemon characters, earn points and bonus items at Pokestops — landmarks where players can check in based on their GPS location — and train their characters for battle at Pokemon Gyms. 

Students on social media forums like Twitter and YikYak have mentioned seeing Gyms and Pokestops (see list below) at places on campus. 

Bryan Allton, a graphic design major who attends Broward College — which shares a campus with FAU in Davie — says the game serves as a chance to relive his childhood.

“When I was young playing my Pokemon game under the sheets before I [went] to sleep because I needed to beat the next Gym leader, I wanted to do that myself,” he said. “I wanted to go out and catch my own Pokemon and train and travel. Because of GO I can do that. Because of GO I get to fulfill my childhood dream that I thought would never actually happen. It has brought people together as a community.”

Allton and Robayo are both members of the HHG Pokemon GO Facebook group, which brings together people playing the game in (mostly South) Florida. The group has arranged an in-person meet up at Fort Lauderdale’s Heritage Park for next weekend.

Pokemon GO is free but has options for in-app purchases.

Pokestops on campus include (but aren’t limited to):

• Bamboo garden in front of the Student Union
• Baseball stadium
• Tennis courts
• The Burrow (basketball arena)
• Climbing wall
• Turf on the track
• Tortuga Trail
• Sean Stein statue outside of the College of Business building
• Martin F. and Jane Greenberg Tower at the FAU Stadium
• S.E. Wimberly Library
• Yellow sculpture in front of the Arts and Letters building
• Heritage Park Reflection Garden
• Traditions Plaza (in front of campus bookstore)
• FAU Clock (in Traditions Plaza)

Have you found Gyms or Pokestops on campus? Tell us where in the comment section.

Emily Bloch is the senior editor of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet her @emdrums.