Snapchat kickstarts new relationships
Students can become friends with each other on Snapchat in a variety of ways; seen above, students use QR codes to add each other. Popularity of the app has sparked several relationships between students and provides an easy way to get to know each other.
December 3, 2015
Snapchat has developed into much more than just an iPhone app; for many it is a starting point in pursuing relationships, both friendly and romantic.
While using the application, users can take photos, record videos, add text and drawings, and send them to a controlled list of recipients.
When a sophomore history class of twenty four were informally asked if they have Snapchat on their phones, twenty out of twenty four said that they have the app and use it almost every day. Some students have made new friends through the app.
Snapchat can be used to talk to people you necessarily have not even met yet.
Freshmen Jack Hill and Aimee Holland’s friendship started initially over Snapchat.
“I was from Southborough and Aimee was from Northborough and we followed each other on Instagram,” Hill said. “I started Snapchatting her a lot and we talked over that and then at Freshman Orientation, I saw her and I was like, ‘Hey, we Snapchat’. Aimee and I are pretty good friends now and Snapchat kinda started it.”
“When you Snapchat someone a lot, you know what they look like and feel as if you already know them. Then you see them in real life and you feel like you’re kinda already friends and it’s so much less awkward,” Holland said.
Along with friendships, some romantic relationships have also started through social media, specifically Snapchat due to its informality.
“If I was interested in someone and wanted to talk to them, I would feel more comfortable adding them on Snapchat first rather than just texting them,” Senior Caroline Coghlin said.
“[Snapchat is a] less formal, fun and easy way to talk to someone,” Coghlin said. “Especially someone who may be in a different grade, social group or even a different school.”
Seniors Samantha Kirk, Peri D’Amico and junior Kevin Hatton all agreed that adding someone on Snapchat shows initial interest and all said that they are more likely to Snapchat someone first rather than text.
“I view Snapchat as an icebreaker, and that’s why you see so many people at school starting to ‘talk’ to people by using Snapchat first,” Hatton said.
For some students, Snapchat has led to relationships.
“I started talking to an older boy when we started snapchatting each other,” Senior Catrina Healey said. “Snapchat was a lowkey way to get to know each other and made it easier when we went on a date and then eventually started talking.”
“Even after we started talking we would still use Snapchat to communicate sometimes instead of texting because it was just more casual and fun,” Healey said. “It takes away the stress of always trying to make good conversation.”
Senior Billy Polymeros had a similar experience.
“I started talking to my current girlfriend over Snapchat at first,” Polymeros said. “We probably snapchatted each other everyday for a month and got to know each other and then eventually hung out before we started to text regularly and made anything too official.”
Polymeros thinks Snapchat makes getting to know someone easier than just texting someone first.
“It’s easier and takes less effort; I think it takes the pressure off,” Polymeros said. “You don’t have to talk about anything too serious and that’s why it’s good at first.”
English teacher Monica Grehoski agrees that students are using Snapchat and other social media outlets as a starting point of relationships both friendly and romantic.
“I think kids are using it [Snapchat] more to talk to people because they get instant gratification from it,” Grehoski said. “It’s a lot easier to break the ice that way, and when you’re younger I think it’s easier to use social media to talk to people and face to face is much more challenging.”
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