We live in a day and age where technology permeates everything we do. Most of our phones make information just a click away. Schools use it to save money and trees by making content available through the internet, social media is used to promote organizations and activities, and emails have diminished the frequency of regular postal mail. Apps are bountiful and you can choose from a variety to either improve your productivity, fitness, or keep you connected with your friends and family. One of the apps I believe is highly talked about and used currently is Snapchat. I myself use it quite often.

It is often that I hear others give friends grief because they’re sending snaps or documenting their activities on their story. I’ve received a few joking remarks myself. Yes, I use Snapchat to keep in touch with my friends. I even use it to communicate with my family. My own mom and dad recently joined the snap universe. And if you think you love and have fun with the filters, you should see my mom. It’s kind of incredible in the best way.

This is all to say: I will not apologize for Snapchatting. It is a completely different way of interacting with people that I find interesting. I have friends who no longer live around the corner because they have either graduated and moved on to their careers or they are going to schools in different cities and states. We text frequently and keep up with each other’s lives. We sent encouraging messages when we know the other has a big test or presentation. It’s all well and good. I could be satisfied with that. But I don’t have to be.

With Snapchat, I am able to get just a little piece of their life. I get to see what is actively happening in their day-to-day lives. If they go on an impromptu adventure through a forest, then I get a 10-second video of how bad an idea it was to brave nature. Then a little while later there’s another video of how amazing the view was and that it was just the refresher that they needed. Even though I may be hundreds of miles away, I get to feel like we are still a part of each other’s day.

Another great feature? It all disappears after the timer runs out. We can all be our goofy selves and send awful selfies and poof they’re gone. (Of course there is the old, “it’s part of the internet it lives forever” speech but we can pretend right?) That is of course, your friend screenshots the photo, but it will send a notification and we will get you back for it.

Perhaps you use the app like I do, maybe you don’t. I’ll keep snapping and sending goofy faces to my friends and family. I like being able to feel more connected to those I care about. I want to know they’re okay and having fun. This is an age of technology, and I’m going to utilize it without remorse for taking selfies wherever I desire.