I’m grateful for my health in this Covid period, but if there’s one thing I’m really disliking about it, is the insane amount of time we have to spend on our phones and laptops. With limited face to face interactions, the time I spent on Whatsapp and Telegram has spiked dramatically, even though I’m no longer on any social media.
With the increased time on these two apps, I’ve come to more acutely realize that there are quite a few interesting types of Whatsapp/Telegram users, each type with pros and cons when it comes to working with them. Here’re a few that you might make you go “IKR.”
1. Replies you super fast
It’s like they’re on their phones 24/7.
Breakfast time, lunch time, dinner time, work time, early morning, late evening- whenever I text, the reply comes within five minutes. It’s actually quite nice to work with these types of texters (who are a little on the rare side) because they reply fast.
2. Grey-ticks you
We’re all busy people of course. We have our social lives, school, work, and personal time. But in this modern era when Whatsapp and Telegram are available on laptop and phone, when 4G’s fast and Wi-fi’s everywhere, it’s kinda hard not to see anyone’s message for more than a whole day. (or: a few days)
(With the exception of exceptional situations like e.g. phone dropped into the toilet bowl)
3. Memorized the dictionary of Internet short forms
This type makes me educate myself on the abbreviation aspect of pop culture and the Internet. As I’m texting, I have my com on one hand, searching for the many short forms that I’ve never seen before.
4. Types in full sentences
Kind of the exact opposite of the above, and self-explanatory
5. Doesn’t reply you for a few decades and then replies you with a question on a new topic
You’re discussing about something important, and then suddenly, there’s no response and “Online” changes to “last seen…”. Then there’s no reply for maybe a few days, and then suddenly a message with a question about another topic altogether.
6. Loves emoticons and gifs
7. Long responses
e.g.
“Wasn’t that assignment a little hard?”
“YEAH! Question 6 was difficult because….Question 10 was easier but…”
8. Short responses
e.g.
“Wasn’t that assignment a little hard?”
“yeahh ikr!”
9. Greetings
Some of the people I text with, even those I’m very close to, always start their texts with a “Hi”, “Hey”, “Yooo” or something in between, even if we’d just last texted a few hours ago on the same day. This is in contrast to no.10.
10. No greetings
No “hi”, “hello”, “good morning” or anything like that, straight to the point, short and direct.
11. Doesn’t reply in the group chat but updates social media
This is usually no big deal, until that required reply in the group is something important, like an upcoming group assignment. I believe no further elaboration is needed on this one.
