If you‘re an avid Snapchat user, you‘ve likely seen the hourglass emoji appear next to a friend‘s name and wondered what it means. Don‘t worry, it‘s not as ominous as it seems! The hourglass is actually tied to one of Snapchat‘s signature features called Snapstreaks. Let‘s take a deep dive into the world of Snapstreaks and decode what that hourglass is trying to tell you.
The Basics of Snapstreaks
A Snapstreak occurs when you and a friend have snapped each other (not just chatted) within 24 hours for more than three consecutive days. The longer you keep the streak alive by snapping back and forth, the higher your streak number grows. This number is displayed next to a flame emoji by your friend‘s name.
For example, if you and your best friend Sarah have sent snaps to each other every day for the past 10 days, a little "10🔥" will appear by Sarah‘s name in your contact list. It‘s a way to visually track how long you‘ve maintained daily snaps with each other.
Snapchat encourages streaks by rewarding you with special emojis for milestones. Once you hit 100 days, you‘ll see a "100" emoji next to the flame. Other benchmarks include:
- 50 days: Two pink hearts
- 100 days: The 100 emoji
- 500 days: A blue star
- 1000 days: A sun face
So where does the hourglass come into play? If you‘ve ever gotten close to the 24-hour mark without exchanging snaps, you may have noticed an hourglass emoji appear where your streak number usually is. This is Snapchat‘s way of warning you that your streak is in danger if you don‘t send a snap soon!
What to Do When You See the Hourglass
The hourglass typically appears when you haven‘t exchanged snaps in about 20 hours. Once you see it, you have around 4 hours left to send a snap to keep the streak alive. If you and your friend both fail to send a snap within the 24 hour window, then your streak will reset to zero. All that hard work, gone in a snap!
When the hourglass appears, it‘s time to take action. Open up the chat with your friend and send them a quick photo or video snap. It doesn‘t have to be anything elaborate – a funny face or "streak" written on a blank screen will do the trick. The important thing is that you each open and send a snap to register activity before the window closes. Group chats don‘t count for streaks.
If you‘re unable to snap yourself, remember that you can always send a snap from Memories or upload a photo from your camera roll by tapping the two overlapping rectangles below the record button. This is helpful if you‘re busy or not looking your best but still need to send something.
Tips for Maintaining Long Snapstreaks
Reaching a triple digit or even quadruple digit snapstreak is no easy feat! It takes serious commitment, communication and creativity. Here are some pro tips for keeping those streaks alive and growing:
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Snap early in the day. By sending your snaps in the morning or afternoon, you give yourself and your friend plenty of buffer time before the dreaded hourglass appears. Make it part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth.
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Use the double snap strategy. If you have a few spare moments, send two snaps in a row. That way if one day is particularly hectic, you‘ll still have a snap in reserve and won‘t need to worry about breaking the streak.
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Get creative with your streak snaps. Streaks are a great opportunity to show off your personality and sense of humor on a daily basis. Don‘t be afraid to jazz up your selfies with Snapchat‘s filters, stickers and captions. You could even make a snap series or play word games to keep things interesting.
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Communicate with your streak partner. A streak takes two, so make sure you and your friend are on the same page about wanting to maintain it. If you know you‘ll be off the grid or extra busy on certain days, give them a heads up in advance so they know to hold down the fort.
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Set reminders. It may feel like overkill, but setting daily phone reminders to snap each other can be a lifesaver, especially as you start racking up lots of high streaks to maintain. A little "Send Sarah her streak snap!" alert never hurts.
Are Snapstreaks Worth the Effort?
The hourglass warning and the allure of high streak numbers can make sending daily snaps feel like a high-stakes, never-ending obligation. It begs the question – are streaks really worth all the hassle?
On the plus side, streaks are a fun way to keep in daily contact with your close friends and family, even when you‘re miles apart. It‘s an excuse to share little windows into your day and strengthen your bond. You may find yourself having silly snap conversations that you wouldn‘t otherwise have. Long streaks can also feel like an accomplishment and reflect the endurance of your relationship.
However, some people find streaks to be stressful and meaningless. Forcing communication every single day isn‘t always realistic or necessary for maintaining a relationship. The pressure to keep a streak going can make interactions feel more like a chore than a choice. It‘s also common to fall into a streak snap rut of recycled selfies and "S" screens.
Ultimately, whether or not streaks are worthwhile is up to you and your friend. If it feels more draining than delightful, there‘s no shame in letting your hourglass flame fizzle out. It doesn‘t mean you care about each other any less! But if you mutually enjoy the daily ritual, then snap on and wear those triple digit streaks as a badge of honor.
Snapchat Has More to Offer Than Just Streaks
While much of the buzz around Snapchat centers on streaks, they‘re just one small part of the app‘s appeal. Even if you decide streaks aren‘t your jam, there‘s still plenty to love about this social media giant.
Snapchat‘s highly customizable setup lets you control who can view your content and how long it stays visible. The app‘s private, impermanent nature is a refreshing break from the curated, everlasting posts on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. With Snapchat, you can let your true personality shine without worrying about making everything look picture-perfect.
Some of Snapchat‘s most popular features include:
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Filters: You‘ve likely seen the internet go crazy for Snapchat‘s augmented reality filters that can transform you into everything from a dog to a dancing hotdog. In addition to being highly entertaining, geofilters also let you add stylized overlays to your snaps based on your location.
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Stories: Your Snapchat story is a reel of snaps that you post to your account for all your friends to view for 24 hours. It‘s a way to update your circle on your daily adventures and share content without sending it to individual users.
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Memories: Memories is Snapchat‘s cloud storage service where you can save your favorite snaps and stories long term. You can even import snaps from your camera roll to send to friends or repost on your story.
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Discover: This section of the app features short form content from major brands and publications tailored to Snapchat‘s young demographic, like Buzzfeed, ESPN and People magazine. It‘s a blend of news, entertainment and branded content.
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Snap Map: Snap Map displays your location on an interactive world map and gives you the option to see where your friends are snapping from in real time (if they choose to share their location). It also features hotspots that showcase public snaps from various events and locations.
This blend of messaging, content sharing and lifelogging features sets Snapchat apart from the social media pack and keeps its core base of Gen Z users hooked. Whether you‘re a hardcore Snapstreak enthusiast or a casual snapper, the app has something to offer everyone.
The Bottom Line on Snapchat Streaks and the Hourglass
So when you see that little hourglass taunting you, take it as a sign that your streak is on thin ice and it‘s time to snap into action! Whether you‘re at 10 days or 1000 days, the key is to communicate with your friend and stay consistent. With a little effort, you can keep those streaks alive and thriving.
At the same time, remember that a streak is just a number and not the be-all-end-all of your friendships. If snapping becomes more of an annoyance than a pleasure, it‘s okay to take a step back and let a streak go. Don‘t let maintaining streaks take over and suck the fun out of an otherwise playful platform.
The hourglass may be persistent, but it‘s up to you to decide whether you want to heed its warning. No matter how you choose to snap, do it in a way that feels authentic and enjoyable to you. That‘s what Snapchat is all about!
