Snapchat should not be your main source of communication
In February 2014, I downloaded the infamous app Snapchat on my iPod 5 with no knowledge of how big the app would become. The app grew quickly as various unique traits were added to the app. At the time, it was one of the only social media apps consciously geared toward the younger generation.
Snapchat’s initial appeal came from the idea that once you sent a “snap,” or picture, it would disappear to never again seen. Since then, the app has added new features, such as a chat feature and the ability to save snaps or texts, which almost eliminates the app's initial uniqueness. The app served as a fun way to connect with friends in grade school and share fun photos, but at what age does this phase out?
Once someone reaches their 20s, they should not use Snapchat as a form of communication amongst friends. In high school, it is completely acceptable. Most teenagers have the app because it has fun features that are specifically geared towards them. A line, however, must be drawn where people start asking for other people’s phone numbers in order to message and communicate virtually.
When meeting someone new past high school, you should not automatically be asking for their Snapchat. If someone does not have access to a phone with a phone number and service, that is a completely different scenario, but in all other cases you should be saying, “Could I get your phone number?”
Texting through your phone messages can be very matter-of-fact—but do not count them out completely. These messagers still have some fun features for when you’re feeling silly, like sending balloons with a happy birthday text or creating fun contact photos/backgrounds. Leave the “selfie” filters and “snap streaks” for the middle schoolers, weeping over it will not bring your “snap streak” back.
This does not mean delete Snapchat as soon as graduation rolls around. It is still perfectly acceptable to use Snapchat until you decide to delete it. Rather, it should not be your main form of communication past that point. An adult’s romantic relationship should not be built on maintaining a streak and snapping random pictures of your forehead back and forth.
Snapchat can be a damaging communication tool when trying to begin a new relationship because of the immense amount of information it provides. Many find themselves obsessing over someone's “snap score,” a public number that increases depending on how many snaps you send or receive. The app also features a location option, which can be turned on and off at leisure without notifying anyone.
These features seem minuscule, but when beginning a new relationship they can cause problems and hurt feelings before the relationship ever officially starts. With today's dating scene including things like “talking stages” and nonexclusive tendencies, Snapchat only adds to the risk of hurt feelings. Once someone reaches 20 years old, they should not be obsessing over anyone’s snap score—it is time to grow up.
As someone who is almost 20 years old and still has Snapchat, I recognize the potential for hypocrisy. My personal usage, however, has decreased severely over the years, and I can see myself deleting the app in the near future. So, for all those out there who are 20 years old and still talking to all of their friends and/or partners on Snapchat, the clock is ticking.
Thumbnail photo courtesy of Pexels