#indepthpkmnheadcanons

It's never too late to become a pokémon trainer. That's what people say. But if you're anything like I was, you probably think that's a load of rubbish.

When I took up the hobby, aged 31 and working 9-to-5, I didn't see how I could ever fit in with - or catch up to - the people who'd been training pokémon since they were kids. It's not easy! But it would've been much easier with the right advice.

So whether you're trying to get back into an old hobby, or you're a total fletchling, here are the ten tips I wish I'd known before getting into pokémon training as an adult.

Look to shelters for the perfect partner pokémon. People make a big deal about growing up alongside a pokémon, but raising one from young takes time, money, and energy that you may not have. Most kid trainers can only manage it because mum and dad take care of the boring stuff (like buying feed, taking them for check-ups, and hosing them down when they run headlong into a bog). Shelters are heaving with rescue pokémon, many of which will have been previously owned by trainers, so they'll be a lot easier for a beginner to work with. On top of that, you'll be giving a pokémon a new home, which is vitally important.

Trainer cards are for you, too! This can seem like an obvious one, but I've met so many adult trainers who never even thought to get a card. Even if you're not planning to take on the League, trainer cards still get you great discounts on goods, Gym entry fees, and (weirdly) some restaurants and tourist attractions. You won't get your card for free the way that most kids can, but the cost is very reasonable.

Make use of night classes. Most Gyms, both official and unofficial offer discounted training sessions from 8pm onwards to capture the older market. They're a great pick if you work full-time and they're generally much quieter than the day sessions. The one downside is that the Gym Leader rarely attends, but the other tutors are usually pretty good - and they'll be less busy than the Leader, so more able to offer personalised advice.

You can take on the Gym Challenge without travelling. If you're busy studying, working, or raising children (or all three, god forbid!), you probably won't have the spare time to trek around the region battling Gym Leaders. However, with a bit of planning, you don't need to. Most Gyms take match bookings up to 6 months in advance, which means you can plan trips well in advance for when you have the time to travel out. Pop-up Gyms are also becoming increasingly common, where Gym Leaders will visit other cities for a few days at a time, run some workshops, and reach out to challengers in the local area. These can be busy and oversubscribed, but they're a potential option if you can't travel far.

Unless you've practiced it, don't throw your pokéballs into battle! Yes, it's what the professionals do, and they look effortlessly cool doing it. But it's not as easy as it appears. If you try it, you will end up hurling your pokéball out of the ring, and you'll have to awkwardly shuffle after it to get it back. There's nothing like that to kill your confidence before a match. Gym tutors can teach you how to throw pokéballs like a pro, but until you've mastered it, stick to just clicking the eject button.

Keep it simple, keep it Silph. If you're new to training, or you've returned to the hobby after a long time away, you'll be dumbfounded by the range of pokéballs on sale in general stores. Take deep breaths and try not to panic. Some of the differences are purely cosmetic, some only matter if you plan to be out catching pokémon, and others are just ways to get money out of you (I promise, you don't need Bluetooth-enabled pokéballs, or ones that claim to measure your pokémon's heart rate and stress levels). When in doubt, stick with Silph's classic long-life pokéballs. They cost a pretty penny, but trust me - their quality, longevity, and ease of use is unmatched.

Spend quality time with your pokémon. If you're completely new to raising pokémon, it's easy to dedicate most of your hours together to training. Remember to take breaks, for both your sakes. Spending time on fun, non-competitive activities will deepen your bond with your pokémon and bring you more in sync with each other. Brush their fur, take them for walks, let them watch you cook. It's okay to keep your pokémon in pokéballs, especially if you've got limited space at home, but experts recommend that they spend no more than 8 hours confined at a time.

If you're a returning trainer, remember that your partner pokémon might not be as keen to resume the hobby as you are. After a few years away, some pokémon lose their zeal for competition entirely. It can be tough to imagine battling alongside other pokémon, especially if you and your buddies go way back, but try to see it as a positive. It's a chance to forge new partnerships and try out new battle styles.

Learn from your fellow trainers, no matter their age. If you're an adult beginner, you'll definitely feel out of place next to all the young'uns taking on the Gym Challenge. Swallow your discomfort and ask them to battle! Kids are always up for a match, and they've got a wild, unselfconscious way of battling that you can learn a lot from. Just be prepared to lose a lot. And try not to gloat too much when you finally win against that annoying kid who wears all his Gym badges on his coat. (There's always one).

It is, however, really cool to see non-Pokemon creatures in the wild if it's a bird or fish. Due to the powerful nature of wild Pokemon, most creatures that can't hold their ground against literal fire breath have been driven to extinction or evolved into being actual Pokemon. (If I remember right, the Pigey and Lillipup lines are like this.)

The general rule of thumb is- if it doesn't react to a Pokeball, it's not a Pokemon. Which should be obvious until you see some lady and her kid saying the worm they have in a jar is an ultra-powerful Pokemon that's so magic it doesn't react to Pokeballs.

It is not uncommon to find stone figures of Ting-Lu marking settlements in northern Paldea. In ancient times, the custom was to put coins in the domed vessel atop its head, typically whenever one arrived or departed the village. The reasoning is not well understood. Some scholars believe they were merely respectful offerings. Others speculate that the coins were intended to weigh Ting-Lu's head down, to prevent it from escaping its shrine and ravaging the earth.

Paldea is home to a proverb, often translated as 'melt the sand and leave nowhere to stand'. It cautions against the ruinous effects of jealousy or envy, and likely traces back to Chi-Yu's origins. Both in Paldea and its surrounding regions, envy is associated with fire and heat.

It is commonly believed that flowers and fruit trees do not grow in the woods surrounding Grasswither Shrine, but this is not true. As any local will tell you, the fruit grows quickly, but rots quicker still. Wild pokémon do not eat it.

Paldean fables warn children against walking alone in heavy snow. If they see a snowman, they must ignore it - especially if it seems to be waving at them. Chien-Pao is the most playful of the Treasures of Ruin; while your eyes fix on the snow figure, you may miss the sheet of ice descending from above.

The exact nature of the Treasures of Ruin is poorly understood in modern Paldea. While their existence is accepted, there is dispute over the extent of their abilities and the level of destruction attributed to them. Some academics argue that they were only symbols of the bloodshed and environmental discord under the ancient monarch's rule, later elevated to legends via oral storytelling. However, more recent research supports the Treasures' historic reputation. A newly-published geological analysis of Grasswither Shrine detected elevated levels of heavy metals in the soil, with no clear source but the shrine itself.

Ornamental metal vessels, often known as 'worry bowls', are found in many houses across Paldea. They are a common gift for children, who are told to write their fears down on scraps of paper and put them in the vessel to be rid of them. Some believe that these bowls are styled after the vessel on Ting-Lu's head. The protective nature of the bowls is at odds with Ting-Lu's generally negative reputation, which may suggest that the Treasures were not always a symbol of evil in Paldean culture.