From the moment you start using chat apps, it’s almost impossible to escape the charms of group chats. With the right people in it, a chat can be one of the most supportive spaces you’ll ever find—and one of the most toxic, too. It all depends on who else is also using that chat software. As with any other social media platform, the same old things happen when you have more than a handful of users in an app: People use it as an echo chamber and become insular because they’re always talking to the same people; conversations devolve into everyone being catfishers or trolls; and arguments turn into everyone shouting at each other instead of thinking clearly and coming up with rational solutions. You only have to look as far as Twitter or Instagram to know how problematic these small groups can be if their users aren’t careful. Fortunately, there are so many memes out there specifically aimed at group chats and how they can be used to our advantage!
Be careful who you’re chatting with
This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t think about it. Some group chats are full of people who are constantly trying to bait others, or just trying to start drama. Other groups are full of people who are genuinely curious about others’ lives but don’t know how to ask effectively. If you’re in a group chat with someone who is constantly posting mean things, then you’re just feeding into their negative energy. If someone is constantly asking you why you’re single, or inquiring about your love life, then they’re genuinely interested. However, if they’re constantly asking you why you’re single, or inquiring about your love life, then they’re constantly trying to start drama.
Stay on topic
In a group chat, you’re allowed to talk about anything under the sun. That’s a good thing, too, because you might be there with people who are deeply interested in a certain area of study, profession, or hobby. However, you also might be there with people who aren’t nearly as interested, and who are just trying to use the group chat to talk about something they think is interesting. When you’re in a group chat with people who all share an interest in, say, sports, it’s a good idea to keep the chat on sports. You don’t want to spend the whole chat talking about a work-related issue; you don’t want to spend the whole chat gossiping about someone who isn’t in the chat; you don’t want to spend the whole chat talking about something that’s not particularly interesting to the rest of the group. You can be in a group chat with a few people and still keep your focus on the group chat topic, not on the people in the group chat. If you’re in a group chat about sports, but you spend most of the chat talking about work, then you’re not just distracting other people in the group chat, you’re distracting yourself; and if you’re just talking about things that aren’t particularly interesting to the group chat topic, then you’re diluting the group chat’s overall importance. Not to mention that if you’re talking about something that isn’t on the group chat topic, then you’re just wasting everyone’s time.
Don’t rant when you’re in a group chat
If you’re in a group chat while you’re angry or feeling frustrated, then you can be sure that you’re going to start ranting. And ranting isn’t particularly helpful in group chats. Sure, you might vent a little steam, but you’re not actually going to make anyone feel any better. You’re also not really contributing to the group chat at all—you’re just just spewing words that have no real value. If you’re in a group chat where everyone is venting about something that’s bothering them, then you might want to avoid doing the same thing. If you’re in a group chat where everyone is talking about how they don’t want to do something, then you don’t want to go on a rant about how amazing it is that you don’t have to do that thing. Rant-style group chats aren’t particularly helpful, and they’re not particularly productive.
Have a code word or phrase for easy identification
Group chats can get so busy that it’s easy to forget who’s even in them with you. That’s why it’s a good idea to have some way of keeping track of who’s in the chat. You can do this by using a code word or phrase that everyone knows that you can use to identify who’s in the chat with you. For example, if you have six people in a chat and you have a phrase like “bffs,” you can use it to identify who’s in the chat with you. You can then use that phrase to differentiate between your six friends, the three people you’re talking to and the two people who are catfishing you.
You might not always remember what was said in a group chat, but you’ll never forget what was said with a meme. Memes are a great way of reinforcing your points and making them memorable by adding photos that illustrate your points. For example, if you’re in a group chat about how often a certain friend posts about their relationship, you can use a photo of them to illustrate your point.
Group chats aren’t just about using memes and using photos to reinforce your points; they’re also about using emotions to defend yourself. Emotions are strong, and they can easily be used to defend yourself in a group chat. You can get creative when it comes to using emotions to defend yourself. For example, if you’re in a group chat where you’re debating whether or not your friend is going through a bad time, you can use emotion to defend yourself in a group chat. You can talk about how you know your friend and use that to your advantage. You can use the fact that you know your friend and know how they act to your advantage. You can use the fact that you know your friend and know how they act to your advantage.
Group chats are one of the most popular social platforms on the internet. Unfortunately, they can also be one of the most problematic. If you’re in a group chat, make sure you’re in the right one. When you’re in a group chat, stay on topic, don’t rant when you’re in a group chat, have a code word or phrase for easy identification, use photos to reinforce your point and make it memorable, and don’t stop after one meme; think of more ways if ways to defend yourself.