Regardless of where you fall along the emoji spectrum (avoid at all costs vs each text is 98% emojis and 2% words), it’s rather difficult to avoid these little icons in modern life.
So, why not debate the finer points of our favourites? For this version of Top Five/Bottom Five, I’m going to go with my most-used emojis, not necessarily the ones I think are the cutest. But you do you! If you aspire toward using more cat emojis, more power to you.
TOP FIVE
I have to admit I don’t necessarily love receiving emojis, but I like using them. Is that weird? I find it so natural to incorporate certain emojis into regular texts.
As always, these are in no particular order.
- Red heart. I use this a lot in texts, but if I want to show emotion regarding a text I’ve received without responding with words, I will almost always “apply” a heart, or text a full-sized heart with no accompanying words.
- Thumbs up. It can be very difficult to close a text loop. How do I confirm I’ve received a text without continuing the narrative? I give it a thumbs up!
- Laugh-crying (sideways version). I use this all. the. time. It can be difficult to express tone in text exchanges, so I use laugh-crying to represent my mood/reaction.
- Face palm. I use this a lot with my sister (who has four kids)! We trade parenting notes back and forth and will often combine the laugh-crying emoji alongside a face palm.
- Grimace. I use this face quasi-regularly to express shock or concern.
Bonus. The shrug. I’ll often include a birthday cake emoji along with Happy Birthday wishes. The bandaged heart occasionally really suits the moment.
BOTTOM FIVE
- Poop. I know it has a cult following, but in general I don’t feel the need to text someone a visual representation of excrement.
- Thank you/praying hands. Not a big fan, but it seems to be very popular!
- The “scream”. Looks creepy to me.
- Vomit face. Ditto poop. If someone is vomiting in my household, I don’t need to memorialize that with an illustrated re-enactment.
- Flowers. I know some people who regularly use flower emojis. I’m not sure why I avoid them, they just feel superfluous to me?
Bonus: Food. I’m not a big fan of sending food emojis. I don’t actively dislike them, I just never feel drawn to using them. Ditto most holiday-themed emojis.
Your turn. How do you feel about the use of emojis? What are you top five/bottom five?
Header photo by Farhat Altaf on Unsplash
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mbmom11
Some of my Skype chats are 100% emotions, so I’m pro -emoji. My sister and I joke about how we’re going back to hieroglyphics.
However , mostly one or two at a time.
I like hearts ( color dependent on whom I’m texting), cats, eye-rolling, upside-down, stars.
No gross ones , ugly ones, or hard to read ones.