Hooking up has been a staple of dating since dating began. Dating can get complex depending on where you are emotionally as well as the kind of girl or guy you’re going for. Some people need to be able to take someone they’re interested in out to nice dinners, have deep conversation and connect on an emotional level. There are times, though, that you have a flash sexual connection with someone and all you really need to do to be fulfilled is see each other naked as often as possible.

It feels like the core principles of dating haven’t changed since our grandparents were going to soda shops, but technology’s effect on hooking up are always more extreme than we realize. Within just a few short decades, trying to hook up with someone you are interested in has evolved from writing letters and passing notes to calling each other, then to text messaging and now the use of picture-messaging apps such as Snapchat. In fact, Snapchat alone has completely revolutionized how we are trying tom get our jollies off. If you don’t believe the effect Snapchat has had on the way we hook up, take a look back at your last couple months in the dating game and see if you didn’t notice

1. Hooking up is easier than ever

Just a couple years ago, before Snapchat, hooking up involved plenty of planned-out text messages and the eventual courage to maybe do some sexting before you can finally get a girl over to your place for some stress-free fun. Even then, most of that sexting was dirty talk and less visual stimulation with pictures and videos. Now, hooking up is as easy as trading some innocuous snaps, followed by some suggestive snaps, then followed by some dirty snaps. Snapchat allows us to let go of our inhibitions faster, so you can spend more time ruining your couch and having the time of your life! Learn All About Snapchat Security Here.
 

2. Everything can be said with pictures

Everyone knows a picture is worth a thousand words. Following that logic, sending five pictures equals a pretty long conversation! The big difference between texting and “snapping” is that Snapchat is much more reliant on pictures, so most of your conversation will end up being funny reaction selfies and conversation-sparking cameos, and then hopefully some suggestive pictures to stimulate your imagination. Using Snapchat, you can get to know each other faster, become comfortable sooner, and skip to the naughty part way ahead of schedule.
 

3. We can send sexy pictures without worry

You’re a fool if you text someone nude pictures without trusting them completely not to pass them around or post them on the internet eventually. (Did your know sending nude photos is a crime?!) Hell, this is how so many celebrities are having leaked nude picture scandals that we all pretend not to notice. Even if you can trust someone now, that doesn’t mean that you will be able to trust them forever. With Snapchat, there is a lot more trust involved in the hook up process. The pictures and videos are temporary! If the person you’re sending snaps to replays or screenshots what you sent, you’re notified immediately and you can systematically destroy them and everyone they have ever cared about. And even that rarely happens since people who use the app often usually follow the code: I won’t be a dick if you don’t be a dick.
 

4. Snapchat’s Stories help show off your life

For those of you who may be unfamiliar, the Stories function allows you to just upload a bunch of pictures in a certain order for all of your friends to see at their own leisure. The odds of anyone actually looking at your Snapchat Stories are roughly equivalent to Pope Francis sending you snaps of various Vatican antics. Let’s be real though, Snapchat Stories are really only meant for one person: the one you really hope is looking at them. It’s a great way to showcase how interesting your life is without seeming like you care about that special someone’s opinion. Why does this matter for hooking up? Because hooking up requires a certain combination of confidence, flirting, and perceived disinterest that Stories perfectly embody.
 

5. Texting is almost obsolete in the hook-up phase

I covered this a little already, but ever since Snapchat came into existence, actually sending flirty text messages has become completely unnecessary. If anything does need to be said sans pictures, Snapchat has its own chat function you can use as long as you don’t the messages disappearing. Still, the couple-word tagline you can add on top of your pictures are usually more than enough to have a conversation with the girl you’re hooking up with.