As someone who’s always active online, texting is my thing. Send me a text, and I’ll reply in 0.1 seconds, sometimes even before you hit send. It’s that serious. I’ve had people ask, “Were you waiting for me to post something?” just because I was the first to view their WhatsApp status. And honestly, I get it. There’s something about seeing “Just now” under someone’s status and immediately opening it that makes me feel guilty, like I’ve been lurking. But what can I do? Texting is just too convenient.
It’s the best way to check up on people and deliver quick messages without disrupting their day. No pressure, no awkward pauses, just straight to the point. Plus, texting allows you to multitask. You can be replying to messages while watching a movie, eating, or even pretending to listen to someone talk. Unlike calls, you don’t have to be fully present, and that’s a win.
I used to be heavy on do not call me if it’s text-able. If I was online and you were online and you decided to call me, I’d just watch my phone ring and text you "any problem?", instead.
But this was mainly for specific people, you know, those ones who call every minute for no reason.
“Hello.”
“Hello.”
“How are you?”
“I’m fine. You?”
“I’m fine too.”
…and then an eternity of silence. Just two people listening to each other breathe.
Is there no reason for this call? No gist? No hot tea? Just vibes and silence? I honestly feel like if you’re going to call someone, you should at least have something to say. Otherwise, just send a text and spare us both the awkwardness.
Recently, though, I’ve become more flexible with my communication. Some of my friends are the call type. When they call, we can talk for hours, especially if there’s hot gist. And for those people, I don’t mind. If the conversation is flowing, I’ll stay on the phone for as long as necessary. But the moment I realize you’re just calling for calling’s sake, I’ll hit you with “Can we continue in the DM?” and move on. I'm not saying having "hot gist" should be a criteria for a call, but come on, some people can just bore you to death with meaningless calls.
On my part, I’m still working on calling people more often. I hardly ever call anyone unless it’s my family, a few close friends, or I have no other way to reach someone. And let’s be honest, my airtime balance stays at ₦0.10 for months, and I’m unbothered. If it’s not urgent, there’s always WhatsApp. But I’m trying to improve because I know some people are busy with real life and don’t come online for days. It’s important to check in on them too.
When it comes to physical communication, I won’t say I’m doing the best. I have a few friends I visit, but only the ones I’m really close to. I don’t randomly show up at people’s houses just to sit and stare at each other. If we’re going to meet up, there has to be a plan, an activity, a fun outing, something to do.
Just sitting and talking?
Sounds boring.
I can’t even remember the last time I visited someone just for the sake of it, except for family, of course. Most of my friends are away in school, but when they’re on holiday, we always plan a meetup. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But when it does, the vibe is different. There’s just something about laughing in real life that texting “LOL” can’t capture, especially when you’re not even laughing for real behind the screen.
At the end of the day, technology has made communication easier. We don’t have to wait for birds and whatnots to deliver letters or send messengers across town. Whether it’s texting, calling, or meeting up in person, everyone has what works for them. As long as we keep in touch, share our thoughts, and understand each other, the method we use doesn’t matter that much, at least to me.
