12 Chat Room Habits Everyone Had

Chat rooms were the place where friendships formed, secrets spilled, and way too many inside jokes were born. Some of these habits feel silly now, but at the time, they were the foundation of how we interacted online. Looking back, it is wild to realize how much those small digital routines shaped the way we socialize today.

1. 1. Picking a Username That Defined You

Back then, your username was your whole identity online. People spent hours coming up with creative names using numbers, underscores, or inside jokes. It was the first impression you made before typing a single word.

2. 2. Adding “ASL?” Right Away

The classic “Age, Sex, Location?” question popped up in almost every chat room. It was the fastest way to get to know someone, even if people often fudged the answers. Looking back, it feels both funny and a little risky.

3. 3. Using Way Too Many Emoticons

Before emojis, chat rooms were filled with strings of smileys, winks, and hearts. People got creative by mixing symbols to make their own custom faces. Conversations could look like a wall of punctuation art.

4. 4. Typing in Alternating Caps for Attention

Messages like “HeLLo WhAt’S uP?!” were everywhere. Some thought it looked cool, others found it impossible to read. Either way, it was a chat room trend you could not escape.

5. 5. Collecting Random Friends on Your List

It was common to add people you barely knew just to grow your friends list. Many had long rosters filled with usernames that eventually faded into silence. It made you feel like part of a bigger online crowd.

6. 6. Setting Away Messages That Sounded Deep

Away messages were more than just status updates; they were mini billboards for your mood. Many people used song lyrics, cryptic quotes, or inside jokes to show off their feelings. Sometimes it was less about being away and more about being seen.

7. 7. Pretending to Be Older Than You Were

Many teens stretched the truth about their age to seem cooler in chat rooms. Claiming to be older felt like a ticket into more interesting conversations. Of course, most of the time, it was pretty obvious.

8. 8. Having Endless Inside Jokes in Group Chats

Once you clicked with a group, the inside jokes piled up fast. Whole conversations could be unintelligible to outsiders, full of shorthand and running gags. Those jokes made small online groups feel like tight-knit circles.

9. 9. Typing Actions in Asterisks

People narrated themselves like characters in a play by typing things like laughs or rolls eyes. It added flair to conversations and made chats feel more alive. Sometimes, entire exchanges looked like roleplay scripts.

10. 10. Staying Up Way Too Late Just to Chat

Many remember long nights glued to the glow of the screen, chatting until 2 or 3 AM. Conversations seemed more interesting when the world was quiet. Those late-night talks felt like their own little universe.

11. 11. Getting Kicked Out for Spamming

Everyone knew someone who pushed the limits and got booted from the room. Sometimes it was for flooding messages, other times for posting too many links. Getting kicked out felt like a badge of honor for some.

12. 12. Logging In and Out Repeatedly to Get Attention

One trick for catching someone’s eye was constantly signing in and out so your name popped up. It was equal parts annoying and effective. That little ping became the original version of nudging someone online.

• Tags:
• chat rooms
• early internet
• online habits
• 2000s internet
• digital culture