My friend group is on the verge of a petty civil war over a group chat name.
By @violetyy · Friends
A friend changed our main group chat name to an inside joke that roasts my dating life. I changed it back because it's not that funny to me, and now I'm being told I can't take a joke and I'm creating drama.
The full story
Our group chat, which has existed for like a decade, has always had a normal, boring name. Something like 'The Girls' or 'Besties,' you know the type. Benign. Unproblematic. Then, last week, one of my friends—the one who thinks she's a stand-up comedian in waiting—decided to get creative. She changed it to something along the lines of 'The Chronicles of My Bad Hinge Dates.' Charming, right? It's based on a story I told them a month ago about a truly terrible date I went on. It was funny at the time. We all laughed. But I didn't think it needed to become the permanent headline for our entire friendship. Every time I get a notification, it's just a little reminder of some guy who showed me his rock collection in the back of his car. So, after a day, I changed the name back to something normal. That was apparently a declaration of war. The comedian changed it right back. So I changed it to 'Some of Us Have Moved On.' She changed it to 'Someone Can't Take a Joke.' Now the whole group is involved. Half the chat is siding with her, spamming 'LOL' and saying I'm being way too sensitive and it's 'classic us.' The other half has gone quiet, which is honestly worse. I've gotten a few side texts saying she's being annoying and they get why I'm irritated, but no one wants to say it in the main chat because god forbid they cross our self-appointed queen of comedy. They don't want to be the next target. Now I'm in this stupid, silent standoff. They're acting like I'm the problem for not wanting my dating fails to be the group's running gag. I feel like I'm being gaslit over something incredibly dumb. It's not about the joke, it's that it feels targeted and I'm not allowed to say 'enough.' Am I completely overreacting here? Or is it fair to want to veto being the butt of a joke I don't think is funny anymore?
How people voted
- Totally Cooked — 25% (52 votes)
- It’s Complicated — 43% (91 votes)
- You’re Fine — 33% (69 votes)
Readers are split: “It’s Complicated” leads with 43% — 212 votes and 10 comments so far.
What people are saying
@finn — A real friend would just let you have the joke, this is how friendships work.
@laney — Time to change the chat name to something that roasts her back and see how funny she thinks it is.
@karakindof — So soft.
@nicomaybe — Super soft.
@coleactually — this is so petty i love it change the name again
@danasorta — Can't you just mute the chat until they get over it?
@liamkk — Your friend has main character syndrome and can't handle it when you don't want to be a side character in her life story.
@finnliterally — omg we had a group chat named 'Sarah's Witness Protection Program' for like a year after she ghosted some guy. she hated it lol.
@heyitsme — no this is the kind of petty i live for do not back down
@wronggroupchat — lmaooo
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