Today marks my first birthday on SnapChat and oh has it been educational. Therefore I suggest that you now get yourself prepared, as I will in this blog share my 12 months as a snap chatter and in particular talk about the many characters that I have met on my journey!!
You ready to hear it??!!! Then let’s go!! I’ll break in gently and finish with the reality that made me look at the world in a whole new light!!!
WHERE IT BEGAN……
On the 15thOctober last year I went to Tubridy’s Bar, our local, to enjoy a few drinks and as always, that I did, until the lights were out. On the same night two local fellows, no 
names mentioned, (you know who you are), were emphasising / promoting the fabulousness of Snapchat and showing and demonstrating all its perks.
Wakening up on the 16th October with a slight hangover I decided to get my kids to educate me some further and thought I would give it a 24 hour trial…..
This trial changed my life and most certainly my perception and views about many, many, many things and many many people!!!
So here are some of the stories from my first year on SnapChat!!
GETTING SET UP
The set-up of your accounts is nearly a bigger step than signing up to use the app in the first place. First you have to pick your SnapChat name then you have the impossible task (one they seem to be making harder) of creating your Bitmoji.
This Bitmoji creation is a little like I envisage it to be like for those that draw the faces of criminals (well at a minimum suspects) based on other people’s descriptions. When you have finally settled on one that resembles someone totally different you best remember to keep it updated, there is always someone who will note that you have not washed your hair or changed your clothes for the past six months.
Oh and then when sending a Snap you have to select the right filter or if not at least # the no filter….
Then there is this whole thing of STREAKS…… comparing it to my eldest daughter is laughable but I did go over 100 days once…. Then lost it without taking notice….
Then when finally set up you have to of course figure out how people will find you…. and harder again how will you find them?
Seriously…… talk about social media pressure and someone needing to write a manuscript for the rules and most importantly non-rules for SnapChat!!! Phew…. I’m certainly not as young and savvy as I feel 🙈
INDECENT PROPOSALS & UNSOLICITED D**K PICS
There are quite a few categories of characters on snapchat including what I would have thought based on my normal social media usage are “normal” relationships. These would have included friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues and some celebrities.
My very first friend on SnapChat was actually a work colleague!!!! (Think you know who you are too)!
However then some of those (not including celebrities on my account, turn out to be;
- Stalkers– those whom you know are always watching your stories but never comments or snaps directly. I believe in modern terminology that this may be called ghosting.
- Spending their time in a love / hate relationship with you. One day you’re their friend, the next day you’re not, then you are fully blocked (this whole thing being yet another education for me) and then guess what your friends again……
- Restrictors– this one mainly apply to my family members (teenage children) whom are willing to snap with me but god forbid I can see their story…….
- Crazy, brave, boundary pushing…….This category has led to the title above so will expand a bit more here but before I do People in this category; have you no shame!!!???
So during my year on SnapChat the last listed category above is the one that has educated me fully to the reality behind this app and its possibilities, adventures and total lack of limitations.
I have heard things I would never have thought I wanted to hear and, as you can probably guess based on the very functionality of SnapChat see things that I would never have thought I wanted to see…… some things I most definitely didn’t want to see.
The of course I have on the contrary been asked to say things I would never say and show things I would never show…. (this being a worry when you’re a parent to teenage kids)!!!! If adults can ask, they most certainly will and can.
There have been indecent proposals, from both neighbours, friends (?) and work colleagues. One thing is for sure an certain Christian Grey, ain’t got a patch on this category of Snap Chatters as for some weird and wonderful reason we trust that nothing will be saved and nothing will be shared, as is the rules of SnapChat….. ?? So why set limitations on our requests and displays, when we feel we don’t have to.
To finish my categories; I will certainly never, ever, forget the day I received my first unsolicited d**k pick…… and there has been more since. I remember sharing this trauma with those two buggers that thought I should be on it in the first place…… Their response – a SnapChat video singing about those unsolicited d**k pics. Not a mention of support for my trauma.
So to all my SnapChat friends… and especially some. Thank you for the education, the journey, the laughs, the blushing and for many shared moments. You will certainly feature in my book about MyMe because some of you have had dramatic impact in shaping the me I am becoming and working on maintaining.
To summarise I have had a great year on SnapChat…… but not yet fully convinced I will remain on it for a second year…..
Would you?
Simply Malin 