Have you heard of Foursquare? Chances are, you've most likely seen it in action on Twitter or Facebook. With all the new social media add-ons and apps, it's tough to decide what is going to be useful and actually fun to use. Foursquare is a location based social networking game where you get points for "checking in" at different spots. I find that most people, including myself, use Foursquare for dining and retail, but you can also use it to check into banks, parks, offices, theatres, and even the moon, if you had the necessary mode of transportation to get there.

By accumulating points, you unlock certain badges over time like "newbie" for your first check in, and the "adventurer" for checking in at over ten different locations. Not only do you receive badges, but if you "check in" the most at a certain location, you are crowned the Mayor of that spot. Therein lies the fun of competition. Recently, I ousted someone as the Mayor of Kona Grill, and I am also the Mayor of Cardinal Fitness and Mudsocks Grill (I work nights and weekends at Mudsocks, and no, it's not cheating).

Once Foursquare users check in, they can leave tips and recommendations behind. Fellow user Lindsay Manfredi raves about the fish tacos at Zest. I hear that Hubbard & Cravens Coffee & Tea is the perfect pick-me-up for these cold winter days. A recommendation from a Foursquare user was all I needed to finally have lunch at Best Bet, a small and delightful diner in front of my apartment I've wanted to try for months. I've only been using Foursquare for just over a month, and I've already found at least ten spots in Indy I want to check out. And it's not just the Indy area where Foursquare can shine. I already have plans to use Foursquare for my vacation in March in Punta Gorda, Florida, where I've never been. I'm going to rely on the good people of Foursquare to check in and help me check out Florida's hot spots.

Currently, Foursquare does not offer anything for accumulating the most points or for earning badges except bragging rights among the community. However, some businesses are offering deals for being the Mayor, such as free appetizers or a free cup of coffee. Foursquare is a great tool for finding new things to do and try around Indy; but the best part about Foursquare is the connections made through using this app. Since my Foursquare account is linked to Twitter, it automatically updates my status, whether I've just checked in at Target, or I'm enjoying a hazelnut latte from Starbucks. 

If you're new to social media, Foursquare is a great way to get involved and meet people in your community. I've met three people in the past week who checked into Mudsocks Grill and I've added these people to my network. Foursquare has many other cool features, but I'll let you discover those for yourself.