Have ya'll heard that Yo Gotti song It Goes Down in the DM? I do not recommend it if you are easily offended. But, if you are a pre-gaming youth or hype beast, you might recognize this song.

Here is it for those of you who are curious (scroll to 40 seconds in):

Now, for those of you who don't know what a DM is: DM stands for "direct message" and it is a way of chatting with others through social media apps. You can send an image and start a conversation as long as the other person accepts your request.

I was at the gym the first time I heard this song, and the beat made me hype! When I heard the “snapchat me that…” verse I burst out laughing. It was hilarious and exaggerated. However, I must say I connected strongly to the chorus “It goes down in the DM” … which I had been pronouncing, “it goes down in the DM’s” for quite some time (oops). I enjoy social media, and I often make friends via Instagram or a combination of apps such as Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter.

It sounds odd, but you can get a sense of a person when you follow them on multiple social media platforms. You don’t have to waste time attempting to make a certain impression, at least, I don’t. I am pretty open and honest on social media. I might make myself look a little cooler than I appear in real life, but that’s common. At the same time, I am interested in the things I share, and you can get a feel for my aesthetic. And I mean, if you’ve read my emotional/drunk/od outbursts on Twitter (which I later delete), and still extend your hand of friendship, I can respect that.

We can skip all the backstory and focus on connecting in the moment or exchanging opinions. All of a sudden, dates don’t involve small talk; and not just dates! I have made girlfriends via social media by sliding into their DM’s. I’ve thrown out the “hey so this sounds weird, but I think you’re cool and our vibe seems to match so would you wanna hang sometime?” You can reconnect with people you met a long time ago or in a drunken haze just by remembering their name or even their friend’s name. You can shoot someone a “Hey, we met at…” or “Remember that one time we…?” Little moments of connection can blossom into full-blown friendships. Perhaps you like to communicate only online -- DMing is great for that also! The etiquette can get a bit sticky, however, and sometimes commenting on a photo is a more subtle and inviting touch. If someone comments on my photo saying “we have to hang” I’ll slide into their DM and ask them out to coffee or something. But if they send me a shirtless mirror pic via DM and ask what I’m up to, then I know to run.

Suddenly, the prince’s journey is as simple as adding Cinderella on Instagram mid-dance. No choice, no hiding, no mystery—and that’s the scary part. Meeting people this way is not always safe, and it is better to contact people this way when you’ve met them in person at least once. While you can get a sense of someone via social media, you are only getting a projected (and sometimes manipulated or misleading) sense of them. I've connected with photographers via Instagram and DMs, but sometimes there are scams or predators using the same cover. DMs can be great for business-- you can collect sponsors and make connections, but only if you can verify the account somehow.

So, whether you want to make friends, find a date or reconnect with someone you barely met, sliding into the DM is a way to do that. Girls do it, guys do it, and it doesn’t have to be a scary thing. For those of you using DMs to harass people, send unsolicited nudes, or scam people- please stop. And please remember to use DMs responsibly.