Do remember that just because it expires doesn’t mean it’s completely gone. The big appeal of snap is that the messages and pictures magically disappear, but in reality there are many ways to save snaps without people’s knowledge. Including but not limited to: making a sticker,or having a friend take a picture. Also with snapchat every picture you take is saved to the google cloud, just because action isn’t taken immediately doesn’t mean it couldn’t be in the future.

Don’t say cruel things over snap. Let’s be honest, we’ve all been in that place where you feel like you want to send someone a very strongly worded message to someone that’s really getting under your skin, but snapchat is not the place to do that. Especially if you’re going to include your face in the snap, rookie move. As my grandmother always says “say it, forget it, write it, regret it”.

Do create a private story. Private stories are personally my favorite part of snap, it allows you to post to a smaller audience, and you can give them a silly name. Private stories also prevent you from being that person who posts everything on their main story, please do not be that person.

Don’t solely base your relationship over snapchat. I understand that being a teenager in Wheeling, West Virginia really limits your options, but that does not mean you should turn to virtual dating. As awful as this may sound, people are not who they may seem to be. But virtual dating doesn’t always have to be with someone not from around here, go hangout with your significant other. People are so different in real life rather than over snap.