The invention of Snapchat, although a simple idea, was truly revolutionary. With the ability to communicate in the short length of a text, but also communicate a specific tone with the aid of a picture (typically a selfie), Snapchat has become the primary channel of communication for many people — myself included.
It seems that with every Snapchat update, there are things to be very excited about, and other things to be skeptical of. The new Memories addition to the app has me leaning a bit of both ways. The facial filters became a fun way to add variety to your daily snaps. Geofilters, or Geotags, were a creative addition to road trip snaps.
Snapchat streaks were another of those really cool updates that almost gave a sense of purpose to the app. It was almost like, "Hello my sort-of-friend, John Smith, we've been on fire for the past three days. If you want to keep the little emoji, keep talking to me!" At first, it seemed cute. You care enough to talk to this one person at least once a day, and now you have proof that you actually keep in contact!
It needs to be said that there is a downside to the flame emoji that has infiltrated our Snapchatting habits. When the hourglass appears, ticking down the time until you lose your streak, there is a sense of FOMO passing between the Snapchatters. You suddenly have a reminder that it's time to talk to that person again. It took me a long time to realize that the anxiety that accompanied this notion was anything but healthy.
I believe that healthy relationships mean keeping in touch. They mean checking in on the person, and letting them know you are thinking about them. Healthy friendships require communication on both ends. A healthy relationship is not staying in touch out of obligation, or talking to one another just for the sake of talking or, in this case, "keeping the streak." These unhealthy patterns are evident in current snapchat habits, my own included.
Several times I have found myself with a Snapchat streak with a friend or two, where I have experienced indescribable nerves over my incessant need to remind them of my existence. There have been many times when the only reason a friend kept in touch with me, although they never admitted to it, was to continue the streak. If you get the one snap a day to "#DoItForTheStreak," or simply "streak," it might be time to reevaluate your ideas on healthy and true friendships.
While I enjoy a good Snapchat streak, I find that I have to remind myself that it won't be the end of the world if we don't talk all the time. I ordinarily wouldn't keep in constant contact with my friends, if not for the idea of Snapchat streaks, so the impulse of needing to stay in touch at all hours of the day would otherwise be nonexistent.
Just something to think about the next time you try to keep up with a Snap streak.
