WhatsApp was fun when it started.
It made messaging people easy, sending pictures was a breeze and it was so exciting to send videos.
But then WhatsApp also made sure we had morals. Like lying became tough. That ‘Last seen’ thing doesn’t leave much wiggle room. And the blue ticks. I mean there are times when I just want to read a message without replying. Is that too much to ask for? And recently, WhatsApp decided I couldn’t even be racist and gave us icons in all shades. Question is, which race is yellow?
Like me, I am pretty sure you are part of random WhatsApp groups. But here are 5 that everyone is part of. (Willingly sometimes – but mostly because the group admin decided you must be subject to the forwards of that group.)
The Friends Group
Friends groups are good. You know, you discuss plans for the weekends, wish people on birthdays and all that. This group is usually the one with a particular leaning towards emoticons – because language skills are such a waste. Why say “Hello” when you can send an emoticon of a person waving?
Obviously, WhatsApp realised that we are linguistically stunted and offered us emoticons for laughter, for anger – and one which I think is for bad breath.
I mean that’s what the yellow face with a cloth around the mouth is, right?
The Relatives Group
Everyone tries to avoid these but invariably, we end up becoming part of at least one group that is full of relatives. Conversations here range from religious greetings to incessant birthday wishing. One person in this group is usually plagued by insomnia and is blessed with the ability to completely ignore other people’s comfort. This person takes it upon himself/herself to wake everyone up with a saccharine sweet “Good morning” message. The message usually features a cup, a flower or anything that looks like a 90s wallpaper.
Once in a while, an aunt who hasn’t fully gotten the hang of the messaging thing will send a “jdhgdjhg” message which everyone ignores.
The ‘Let’s Make A Plan’ Group
Sometimes, caught in the heat of the moment, people end up making this group. This group is usually founded on the night when you catch up with some people after a really long time and realise they aren’t as bad as you had made them out to be.
Everyone decides to keep in touch and several thumbs up signs go around and plans to meet again are afoot. Then, for the rest of the decade or so, this group is silent except for one occasional message which no one understands and the sender immediately follows it up with “Sorry, wrong window”.
The Sub-Group Group
We all have friends that we get along better with. So, there’s a friends group, then there’s a close friends group. (These are the ones that you make plans with and actually meet in real life.)
The danger here is, you end up becoming part of so many sub-groups, you don’t even know where to post information because you can’t remember who’s in what group and could end up sending really intimate information to the wrong group.
Why are you sharing intimate information? No idea but I am judging.
The Gender Group
Because men will be men and women will be women. Except sometimes, when men are women, and women... you get the drift.
Anyway, men and women form their separate groups where they can be ‘themselves’. The mens’ group usually abuse liberally, send naughty pictures, discuss sport and fearlessly share marriage jokes without being shouted at. Womens’ groups discuss pretty much the same – except also periods, and send naughty jokes.
Most men are fiercely protective of this group while most women don’t give a damn. *thumbs up in appropriate colour*
(Mansi Shah is founder of the blog Damsel in Destress which reviews experiences as varied as spas, books and plays. Mansi is, by her own admission, “clueless” at 30 with an easy penchant for humour.)
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