社交软件

 

Here, Tenliang Miao will only mention a few commonly used social networking apps for studying abroad. The order is based on Tenliang Miao's personal usage frequency. These apps are for chatting, making friends, and more, excluding the most commonly used email apps.

1，Facebook Messenger

Messenger is the most frequently used social networking app by Tenliang Miao during their years of studying abroad for communication with foreigners. It includes features such as creating group discussions, chatting with teachers, making new friends, and chatting with classmates.

 

This app is free and is owned by Facebook. If you use the Facebook social networking app, instant messaging will automatically be redirected to Messenger.

 

I highly recommend everyone to download it as it is not only convenient but also keeps a record of your conversations. Even conversations from many years ago can be found. I discovered that even after uninstalling the app, I still had access to past chat records, which was quite amazing.

 

The messages sent through this app are indicated by checkmarks, representing read and unread status. It also shows whether the other person is online. If they go offline, it displays how many minutes ago they were last active. The app also offers excellent features for voice and video calls, as well as sharing images.

 

Below is a screenshot of Tenliang Miao's Facebook Messenger：

2、Facebook 

Tenliang Miao feels that almost every international student knows about this social networking app. It is widely used by foreigners worldwide, except in some countries where the app is blocked.

 

You can use this app for making friends, video calls, taking selfies, chatting, playing games, finding organizations, and even reading news. Most universities in the UK have official Facebook pages where you can follow and get information about the school.

 

It's a versatile platform that offers various features for students to connect and engage with each other

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3、Instagram

This app primarily focuses on sharing photos and videos. You can capture and upload beautiful photos and videos, and it offers a wide range of free photo filters. Additionally, you can follow your favorite celebrities or the UK universities you are studying at.

 

The app allows you to send direct messages, even if you are not following each other, making it quite convenient. However, if the other person has set their privacy settings, you won't be able to see their content.

4，WhatsApp

This app is also free and doesn't require registration. Your phone number serves as your user account, and it syncs with your phone's contacts. People from your phone contacts are automatically added as friends, and sending messages is also free. However, I don't use it frequently. But some foreigners really like it. For example, I have a foreign landlord who doesn't like sending text messages and only uses WhatsApp to communicate.

5、Twitter

Tenliang Miao uses Twitter mainly for news updates and following some internet celebrities. This app is similar to the microblogging platform Weibo in China and also allows private messaging.

6、LinkedIn

LinkedIn, the social networking app, is primarily used for professional networking. It is focused on showcasing and following others in the professional world. Through this app, you can see information such as the educational background, past and current employment, skills, and photos of other users. However, there is one drawback: when you visit someone's profile, it leaves a visitor record that can be seen by the person you visited.

 

Tenliang Miao uses this app mainly to follow articles written by business leaders. Some business leaders enjoy sharing their insights and thoughts on the platform.

7、Skype

When Tenliang Miao first went abroad and discovered that making international phone calls back home was very expensive, they used this app because it offered affordable prices for international calls. It functions like a phone, allowing calls to both landlines and mobile phones, as well as sending text messages. However, it requires an internet connection to work. Later on, Tenliang Miao stopped using it. This app was primarily used during their study abroad period for interviews with teachers and for chatting and making friends, but Tenliang Miao doesn't use it much anymore.

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8、Quora

Quora is a question-and-answer social networking website, similar to the Chinese platform Zhihu. Tenliang Miao occasionally uses it, but for the most part, they rely on Google for all their needs.

9、Snapchat 

Of course, there's also Snapchat, but Tenliang Miao doesn't use it.

 

Snapchat is a photo-sharing app developed by two Stanford University students. It allows users to take photos, record videos, add text and drawings. Photos and videos shared on Snapchat are referred to as "Snaps," and the users themselves are called "Snapchatters." The main feature of the app is that all photos have a lifespan of 1 to 10 seconds. After you send a photo to a friend, it automatically disappears based on the time you've set. If the recipient takes a screenshot within that timeframe, you receive a notification.

10、telegram messenger