Is your friendship real if you aren’t routinely sarcastic bullies towards each other? (Seriously, maybe I just need new friends). But if you’re like me, and you and your friends are constantly ragging on each other, you must be familiar with the term “roasting”. In many group messages, “roasting” is a very common occurrence. Similar to how celebrities go on stage and ruthlessly dig at each other about the other’s most embarrassing faults, this often happens between friends. If you have or are likely to experience a roast via group message, here are some tips to get you through it:

Step 1: Fighting Back

Likely you will try to redeem yourself by sending an embarrassing piece of blackmail against the other person. However, this tactic is usually ineffective and wastes a perfectly ugly picture. Save it for when it’s their turn to be roasted because believe me, their time will come.

Step 2: Leaving the group

While it may seem like a good idea to just remove yourself from the situation by either not texting back, or all together “leaving” the conversation, this is also not a helpful tactic. Someone will just end up adding you back and then in addition to everything else, you will be reprimanded for leaving.

Step 3: Joining in

Making fun of yourself while getting roasted can sometimes ease the conversation. But more often than not, it will just help sway the conversation towards another humiliating picture or memory.

Step 4: Debating life choices

When your friends make fun of you and try to get you riled up, you might just fall into deep thought and overlook the choices in life that brought you to this group message. But, don’t sweat it, it’s not that serious.

Step 4: It is what it is.

At this point there is nothing left to do but just let it be. Use this seemingly harsh experience as a chance to humble yourself. If you can’t laugh at yourself with your friends, then you probably needed a reality check anyway.

Step 5: It’s over, what now?

Finally, your friends will come around. And when they’re done teasing you, they will remind you how much they love you. Nice words will be said, and compliments will be given, to boost your spirits. At first, you will be skeptical. You will mistake the kindness for sarcasm. But deep down, you know these people have your best interest at heart. And when it’s all said and done, they will be the ones who help you see the best side of yourself.

Now that your turn is up, it’s time to wait for someone else to say or do something ridiculous to get the fire goin'. Prepare yourself. My best advice is to: save the dirt you have on your friend for the perfect moment, download a meme generator (there is also one in groupme), and don’t bring up anything that the other person is truly insecure about. Good luck, you little hooligans.