When I started using foursquare one month ago, I was curious, cynical, and feeling left out of a new cool thing. Here’s what happened:
- I’ve used it every day.
- I check in when I’m at 1) a place I enjoy, 2) a place where I’ve purchased a food or drink item, 3) a place where lots of other people typically check in, and 4) work.
- I do not check in at Duane Reade, clothing stores, public transit, or my apartment.
- I am peeved by how often the app crashes, feeling like I have to write witty check-in comments and failing more often than not, the quick decrease in excitement after the first few badges come so quickly, and why there are points at all.
- I have learned about a handful of new places.
- I do not follow @foursquare, and therefore missed out on getting the #4sqDay2010 badge, which was pretty sad.
- I enjoy trying to find other people in the same location in real life who have checked in recently, sharing cool places I go with other friends, and being mayor of Tax Court Manhattan despite the rather pathetic competition.
- I take no pleasure in being the mayor of my parent’s house, but I kept checking in anyway.
- I am not surprised by how almost everyone who doesn’t use foursquare thinks it’s absurd.
- I’m still confused by the unwritten rules of checking in somewhere, why we love over-sharing, and why people link foursquare check-ins to facebook and/or twitter.
- I don’t know why I haven’t gotten the Playa Please badge – almost every check-in at Summit Bar has been with at least three men – or the BFF badge.
- I haven’t cheated, at least as far as I know.
At the beginning of my month, I made a prediction:
“I will have major qualms, but remain a casual user after the month because I’ll be so close to some crazy badge or something and want to reach that benchmark, and then another…”
Damn I’m good. It’s true. I can’t quit it, but I also don’t care so much about checking in everywhere anymore. I do want one of those cool random badges like Photogenic or Socialite or Trainspotter, whatever that is. I would secretly be thrilled to be mayor of one of the places that I often grab a bagel before work. I would be irritated if another coworker were to oust me as mayor of our office.
You got me, foursquare. With these stats, I’m not going anywhere.
Jen Bokoff 