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SnapChatters exchange selfies daily, new fad unfolds

Freshman+Tyler+Ellis+poses+for+a+SnapChat.
Freshman Tyler Ellis poses for a SnapChat.
Freshman Tyler Ellis poses om SnapChat with his signature face.

Selfies: pictures taken of oneself while holding the camera at arms length, usually while posing.

SnapChat, a free application designed to share photos quickly on the iPhone and Android, has become part of the routine of many students’ lives in the form of selfies sent back and forth.

“I remember one of my friends was doing it, and it thought it was funny so I downloaded it,” senior Lauren Remer said.  “It’s fun, you can send the most ridiculous faces to people.”

Remer said she SnapChats her friends, and when she receives a SnapChat, she sends one back.  She doesn’t SnapChat random people, she said.

“I like to do the ‘rock on’ face with the hand and the tongue out,” Remer said.

Sophomore Reina Lowe said if she is somewhere really cool and wants her friends to see, she sends them a SnapChat.

“I normally send pictures of my face,” Lowe said.  “I do the double chin face, that’s my favorite.”

Freshman Tyler Ellis said his signature face is cross-eyed with his tongue out.

On SnapChat, one sets a time allotted for the recipient to view the photo.  While photos sent through SnapChat disappear after the timer runs out, screenshots can be captured, and the sender is notified.

“If someone takes a screenshot, I first check Instagram to see if it’s posted,” Ellis said.  “Usually that happens.”

Lowe said if someone takes a screenshot and the snap is embarrassing, she texts them angrily and makes them delete it.

Remer said she only sends photos for three seconds, because that’s how long people need to see a picture.

“If someone takes a screenshot, I just make fun of them, being like ‘you really wanted that picture of me?’” Remer said.

SnapChat sends photos 10 times faster than MMS, or texting, according to snapchat.com.

“I choose SnapChat over texting because if I send pictures through text, people might think I’m just obsessed with myself,” Lowe said.  “Over SnapChat, people just laugh at the pictures and it can make people’s day to see a really ugly or funny picture of you.”

Lowe said SnapChatting has made her closer to people she doesn’t normally text.  Over text, there isn’t always something to talk about, she said.

Other features of SnapChat include adding captions by tapping the preview screen after taking a Snap, selecting multiple friends to send a Snap to, and using drawing tools on the Snap, according to snapchat.com.

“I SnapChat all day,” Lowe said.  “As soon as I get a SnapChat from someone, I send one back.  I’m on my phone a lot.”

Lowe said when she SnapChats in public, people look at her weirdly.

“SnapChat definitely takes up a lot of my free time,” Ellis said.  “I probably SnapChat around 15 times a day.”

SnapChatter profiles show HISCORES, which are the total number of Snaps sent and received.

SnapChatters also have “best friends”, which are updated on a weekly basis and represent the friends which they chat with most frequently.  This information on your profile is public to all SnapChatters, according to snapchat.com.

Look out for the SnapChat icon next time you go to download new apps.  He’s a white ghost in a yellow box, and he’s the SnapChat mascot, “Ghostface Chillah.”

 

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