I’m a nerd. I play Ingress. January 11, 2015

Last summer, I saw on a friend’s Facebook that they liked “Ingress.” I had no idea what it was, so I did a Google search and found a new addiction.

Basically, Ingress is a worldwide, GPS-based game that sends you to “portals” everywhere. For example, a mural on a building could be a portal. There are two teams: Enlightened and Resistance. Both have their own personalities. You can look those up. I’m on the Enlightened team because I like green more than blue. That’s seriously how I chose sides.

What I love about Ingress is that you have to physically go to each portal. Like, walk. Some people drive, some people bike, but I love walking. I have logged over 300 kilometers since I started playing in August. I can get up close to whatever the portal is and see something in my neighborhood I may have otherwise overlooked. That’s the second thing I love about this game.

Third, it’s a new social circle for me. I love meeting new people and making connections. I knew NOBODY at the first happy hour event I went to. I was 100% anonymous, and I loved it. I didn’t know a whole lot about the game, and it was good to learn from people who had been playing for a long time and were at a high level.

So, I learn new things. I meet new people. I walk a lot. Try it out. It’s pretty cool!