But then, I started _really_ using it, and something clicked. Snapchat enables serendipity in the digital world. Unlike traditional social networks, where people curate their image, limit the amount they post, and where a smart feed decides what you see, on Snapchat people post unfiltered real-time snapshots of their lives, and when you go through the story feed, you see everyone's content. Snapchat makes it dead easy to reply to stories by just swiping, and unlike a public comment on other networks, it goes straight into their chat inbox. That makes it really easy to start conversations about things actually going on in people's lives. It's the ultimate ice-breaker.

Thanks to that ability to super easily and non-awkwardly talk to people, I've become friends with people who would otherwise be strangers or merely acquaintances. I've had relationships and flings with girls that I only talked to because it was easy on Snapchat. (No sexting involved.) That effect is what makes Snapchat truly special and different than other networks.