Snapmaps is a feature Snapchat added in the summer of 2017 that allows Snapchat users to see where all of their friends are on based on the location of where they sent their last snaps. Just by pinching the screen where you take photos, you are able to see your where your roommate, best friend, and crush are and channel your inner stalker. While Find My Friends came first, Snapmaps makes it available for all Snapchat users no matter what device they use.
You’re probably wondering, “How did Snapchat and Snapmaps ruin your life?”
Well, on top of my anxiety and moderate paranoia, every time I looked at Snapmaps, I would check to see where my group of friends that never invited me to anything were and where my crush (also the love of my life at the time) was. Every time I saw that my “friends” were hanging out without me downtown, it made me feel like complete crap. This was before I started going to see medical help for my anxiety. My therapist said that how I reacted was in my own hands, and if they were going to not invite me places, then it’s their lost. That’s number one.
Example number two is the soul-crushing reason why Snapmaps ruined my life.
After going to dinner and drinks with this guy I was OBSESSED with for seven months — despite him saying we were only friends — I still hoped for more. We had a fantastic night that ended with some uncertainties, such as me claiming he had no feelings for me. His response? “You don’t know that.” How am I suppose to react to that? He literally hugged me goodbye that night and I thought I was going to melt into his arms, it was definitely tighter than a platonic hug. That night definitely had me questioning where things could possibly go, but I obviously was reading into it too much.
So I channeled my inner stalker the next few days because he was nice enough to have his location available on Snapmaps, and I wanted to bump into him to clear up some uncertainties I had.
Two days after my “hangout” with him, he was on his way to leave town, but I noticed he was at Starbucks before leaving.
I thought, “Wow, how funny would it be if we just coincidentally bumped into each other on the street?” Also hopefully it would resolve more things about how I felt about him.
After my class, I thought, “I need to be productive.” I packed my backpack, drove to Starbucks, and walked in to see that he was having coffee with another girl.
I knew it was him because he was sitting there with his distinctive laugh, so I walked past him. No hello.
I waited in line to order my PSL, waiting for him to notice me, but he was invested in his conversation with this other girl. I could’ve said something, but I didn’t want to have to explain to myself. She could’ve been a friend, but still having to explain how we knew each other would’ve also been complicated because we weren’t “seeing each other.” I was acting a little crazy and had definitely crossed some boundaries. I Snapchatted I was at Starbucks, hoping he would realize I was two tables away from him, but I still didn’t say anything. It was the worst way to handle the situation.
I cried for a few days and my passive-aggressive tweets didn’t help my case with him. He knew I was mad at him, but he didn’t know why because I wouldn’t respond back to his messages because of how hurt I was. I also never admitted I stalked him on Snapmaps either (until now) because that’s really embarrassing.
Snapmaps may have potentially ruined any chance I had with this guy. That’s a lie; I ruined my chances with him a long time ago, according to him. So before you do anything you might regret relating to Snapmaps, ask yourself this, “Am I going to feel bad after I do this?” Then you’ll get your answer. I regret what I did, and I could’ve gone about it differently, but it definitely helped me figure things out. We just weren’t meant to be and it’s best to move on. Now I’m just praying he doesn’t read this.
Photos: cover, 1, 2 – My own twitter