Reply to a funny reel with your favorite part
A laughing emoji alone leaves your friend nothing to answer. Keep the emoji, then add your favorite part and a question about it.
Get comfortable talking to people. Connsmitten is an app for building social confidence through short lessons and practice conversations, with feedback from your coach.
Answer the reel
Say your favorite part, then give them something to answer.
A reel from a friend is a small “thought of you.” Keep the 😂, then say your favorite part and give them something to answer, like a question. The part is right there in the video. A lone “😂” says it landed and leaves nothing to answer. Add the part and a question, and it’s a conversation.
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The reel they sent: Someone trips on the sidewalk, then pretends to take a phone call“I would do this”
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Not this: 😂
This: 😂 the fake phone call. Have you ever done that?
When a friend sends a reel and says “us”
Sunday night, a message from Gemma
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GemmaThe reel they sent: Two friends saying “okay, bye” at the car for forty minutesus 😂
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What would you say?
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Hahaha
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Literally us 😂
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😂 the fifth “okay, bye.” Which of us is worse at goodbyes?
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Build confidence for your next conversation. Take a two-minute lesson, then have your first practice conversation with Dan.
Listen to Dan open the conversation
Hey! How was your weekend?
Compare the two replies
The reel they sent: Someone trips on the sidewalk, then pretends to take a phone call“I would do this”
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Listen
Not this: 😂
This: 😂 the fake phone call. Have you ever done that?
What does the second reply add?
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A joke of its own.
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Words instead of an emoji.
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Your favorite part, and a question.
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When a friend sends a reel of a dog just like theirs
BreeThe reel they sent: A dog lies down mid-walk and refuses to movethis is Biscuit on every single walk
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You: Haha I’ve seen this one.
Does this reply keep the conversation going?
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Ends it
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Keeps it going
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When a friend sends a reel and says “this is you”
DariusThe reel they sent: Someone sleeps through nine alarms in a rowthis is you 😂
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You: 😂 the ninth alarm. Okay, I only set three. How many do you set?
Does this reply keep the conversation going?
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Ends it
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Keeps it going
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When a friend sends a reel and says “we need to do this”
After work, a message from Colin
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ColinThe reel they sent: A short hike to a waterfall you can swim underwe need to do this
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Which reply gives Colin something to answer?
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Omg yes, we should!
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😍 Yes to swimming under the falls. Are you free next Saturday?
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😍😍
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When a friend teases you for slow replies
IrisThe reel they sent: Someone answers a text three days late with “omg just saw this”you every time 😂
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Finish your answer so they have something to ask about.
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😂 the “omg just saw this.” In my defense, I’m just bad at texting.
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😂 the “omg just saw this.” In my defense, it’s been a week.
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😂 the “omg just saw this.” In my defense, my family was in town all week.
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When a friend sends a reel and says “literally me”
GabeThe reel they sent: An avalanche of plastic bags falls out of a cupboardliterally me
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Build the reply: react to what they said, add something about you, then ask them a question.
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One way to reply
- React to what they said😂 the avalanche.
- Add something about youI have a bag of bags under my sink right now.
- Ask them a questionHow many do you think you have?
React, a little of you, then the question. Gabe sees your favorite part, your own bag of bags, and an easy question to answer.
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Lines to leave out
- lol “lol” is a laugh with nothing in it to answer. Leave it out, and let your favorite part carry the laugh.
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Woman’s voiceMan’s voice - Wait, did you see the one with the toddler and the lemon? That jumps to a different reel and pulls the chat away from Gabe’s. Save yours for later.
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Woman’s voiceMan’s voice
What the research found
Personal comments from close friends lifted people’s well-being; one-click likes didn’t.
Your mission
Next time a friend sends you a reel, reply with your favorite part and a question.
In the Connsmitten app
A practice conversation with Maya follows this lesson’s questions.
Build confidence for your next conversation. Take a two-minute lesson, then have your first practice conversation with Dan.
Listen to Dan open the conversation
Hey! How was your weekend?