Emma Nolan, Editor-In-Chief
@emman_courant
From Yik-Yak to Snapchat, apps around New Canaan High School catch fire extremely fast. This week, Houseparty has taken over the halls of NCHS.
Houseparty is an app where you can video chat with multiple friends at once. When you download the free app, you create an account that pairs with your contact list, so you can add friends to your buddy list. Once you link your contacts, you can become buddies with your friends’ mutual friends, and video chat with many different people. Your Houseparty can have anywhere from 2-8 friends, allowing a variety of people to join.
By last week, almost all of NCHS had downloaded the app. Now, in the hallways and at lunch, you can see people Housepartying with their friends and peers from other grades.
Personally, I love this new app. Although it may just be a fad for the next two weeks, I think it’s a fun way to talk to other people and make some new friends. I’ve used Houseparty in a variety of ways. I’ve used the app to clarify math questions with my math group, and I’ve used it for fun during my free periods to talk to other friends.
Even though it seems like a fun app, there are some downsides. For the most part, it KILLS your battery which is making me think about deleting it, because my battery is no longer lasting me through the entire school day. Secondly, anyone can join your Houseparty if they have a mutual friend. Sometimes it is funny and interesting to meet new people, but other times it gets a little awkward and annoying when people you don’t know join your chat. Lastly, the notifications for this app are NONSTOP. If you have Houseparty, your phone will constantly blow up with notifications of contacts who are on, using, or new to Houseparty. You can always turn the notifications off, but then really what’s the point?
If you don’t have it by now, I recommend you download Houseparty- even if it’s for just a little while. It’s a small thing that can add a little more fun to your day. Get it quick before the hype of the app passes, because I think it will be gone sooner than we think.
Download Housparty here!
