The 23 Stages Of Making Friends On Twitter

    From URL to IRL.

    1. You notice someone interesting on Twitter, and begin to follow them.

    2. They follow you back.

    3. An ongoing, slightly flirty chat emerges.

    4. You favourite their tweet.

    5. Then you notice they favourited your tweet too.

    6. And you think.

    7. But then someone cuts in on your chat and you're like

    8. Never mind, you can bide your time.

    9. However, after a few weeks there's a lull in communication.

    10. You thought you had something going! Why haven't they responded to you?

    11. Oh dear. It was that ill-timed topical pun you made. Nobody watches The Voice!

    12. You throw yourself into Twitter, hoping that they'll notice how funny you are and pay attention once more.

    13. Then, phew - a DM!

    14. They've suggested meeting in real life.

    15. Inside you're like:

    16. You try to explain to your friends why you're so stoked.

    17. But all they can see is this.

    18. When you meet up, you worry about how much to talk about the internet.

    19. Will it be OK to mention mutual online friends?

    20. But before you have time to think, they bring up an in-joke and it's all plain sailing.

    21. When you get home, you immediately @ each other.

    22. And make plans to meet again ASAP.

    23. From URL to IRL - success!