I am convinced Snapchat causes more toxicity than aid when it comes to our relationships. Everything revolves around a specific set of emojis that code different things when paired. Our job is to play detective and see which friend is going behind our back to talk to the guy we like. Yeah Felicia, I see that grimace emoji next to the flame I have worked so hard to earn!
This screen has at one point or another, ruled our life.
After the company took away our ability to see which friend of ours, our crush was also displaying a keen interest in, rated like a list of what he was feeling right before your eyes, we were forced to resolve to this guessing game.
My story is no different than any of yours I doubt. Basically, I became the girl I vowed Snapchat would never let me become. I met a guy through mutual friends, added him on Snapchat, and so it began. I began analyzing the emoji sheet like I was studying for a test. I watched read receipts and compared it with response times and of course, his snap score. If he hadn’t opened my snap within a certain amount of time, I’d take a look at his snap score and check it repeatedly till he opened it to make sure he wasn’t just ignoring me.
Even writing this, I am embarrassed because I sound pathetic. Believe it or not, I am usually a confident girl, but when it comes to hiding behind the ghost of an app, not so much. I became the girl terrified that one day we would lose our yellow heart and 84 day streak. I mean the conversation was already becoming dull on days, and clearly just made to keep the streak.
Finally, it only took me a year, to say that enough is enough. I knew I wouldn’t be able to break the streak, so I simply un-added him as a friend. He still has my phone number and is not blocked on anything. I un-added his name from my friend’s list and I have never been happier. I don’t sit there checking if he opened it, checking if he was ignoring mine and opening others. I was done, and I was happy. Also I was at peace.
That was three months ago, and I am still in the same happy and peaceful place. And guess what? He has not texted or called me since. We run into each other at the bar a few times a month, and are still friends (like in real life...I know, crazy how that works outside an app!) that can hang out all night, but the Snapchats are done, and I have never been better. That streak was simply a fake representation of the “he likes me” feeling that this generation’s relationships has amounted to.
I won't sit here and preach to you about how easy it is to do, because it isn't. However, it can be done and I am living proof that you will indeed survive, and if it is any true relationship at all, that will as well. You can kiss the stress goodbye! Ready? 1...2...
