While I honestly don't give a solid shit about texting someone back or someone texting me back, there have been a lot of people who make a lot of fuss about something as small as a response. As humans, we want to feel validated—yes—but that shouldn't all be held within an emoji or a message from a friend or crush.
Don't feel butthurt if someone doesn't respond in half a second, or at all, for that matter. Here are a few reasons you probably didn't get a text back.
1. You're not a priority
Ouch. I know. Hard to hear, BUT that's going to save you in the long run. If you aren't a priority to them, then you're just pining for someone who will never care. They have other things–other people–on their radar, and it's not worth wasting your time trying to smack them in the face to get their attention. There's someone out there, friend or crush, that is actually willing to put in the effort.
2. They're busy
Shocking, right? Someone could actually have a life away from their cell phone? Unheard of. There's more to life than just texting, social media, and selfies. That might be the most shocking part to some of you. However, it needs to be said. Some people can get busy and neglect to text back until later. Don't get discouraged. Wait it out.
3. They forgot
Here's another low-blow. God forbid that these people have other friends to talk to and end up doing something that has them stepping away from the phone. There have been instances where my friends don't respond, and suddenly, three months later, I'll get a response. Yes, three months. While that might be a little extreme, some people have a lot going on. This goes hand-in-hand with being busy. How about you take the time to realize how many people you've forgotten to text back?
4. They aren't interested
This could be a classic case of "ghosting." While this could be categorized under "not a priority," there are different stipulations hanging onto this type of neglect. If someone doesn't outright tell you that they aren't interested in starting things with you or being a friend, then don't sweat it. Eventually, they'll text you, and that's your chance to hand them the same attitude that they gave you. Screw people who ghost others. They deserve turmoil.
5. They got hit by a train... Or something
Along with the many things going on in people's lives, they can get hurt and probably don't want to be on their phone during recovery. How they got hit by a train... Is a conversation for when they can move their thumbs. This should not be confused with an excuse to "ghost" someone. As I said before, if you ghost someone and choose to be avoidant about your lack of interest, you're scummy and need to look at yourself in the mirror.
6. They didn't know how to respond to your message
Sometimes there's a communication barrier over text or whatever. Some people don't understand the message you sent and have a hard time responding to it. Instead of them saying something like "What?" or "I don't know how to respond to that," they'll just leave it be and sit around until you double text. (Which–let me just say–the negative connotation around double-texting is stupid. Get a grip! Sometimes people forget to finish a message! Mini rant: Over.)
7. You're too clingy
I think this is the hardest thing for some people to hear. After you've jumped over that stupid "double-text" barrier and start suffocating them with a barrage of texts, they probably have deduced that you're a little desperate or clingy. In a quote from "Set It Up," "You don't want to squeeze your salamander too hard." Don't constantly text a human before they can even respond, because, in all honesty, you're just texting yourself at that point. Give yourself a check before you go pointing the finger at somebody.
These are just a handful of reasons they probably didn't text you back. Obviously, there are more options, but most of my friends deal with these select few. I hope you find out your reason, no matter how much it'll suck to hear. It's better than never knowing and figuring out if these people are worth your time.
