hello π
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the other day, I got a request to start a friend streak on Duolingo
it's the first time this has happened in a while
I already had 4 on the go -- and not one of them looks like ending any time soon π₯
anyway, I duly accepted (it was from a fellow Matt, after all)...
but I can't lie -- it did get me thinking...
these friend streaks... what are they all about? π€
they've been a thing for well over half a year at this point... and they're pretty much exactly the same as when they originally launched
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so what's the crack?
the whole point of a friend streak, according to Duolingo, is shared accountability π§βπ€βπ§
Duolingo reckons you're 22% more likely to do you're daily lessons if you're sharing a streak with another user
sounds good, right? -- anything to keep that flame burning π₯
and of course, if you can keep that shared flame lit, your personal one's gonna be burning just as brightly πͺ
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but here's the thing...
if you're anything like me and you've been bashing this app every day for fast approaching 9 years, then you'll already have a pretty ridiculous personal streak
sometimes I look at it and think:
"either I'm really freaking awesome... or I really need to sort my life out" (i'm leaning towards the latter) π
my streak is already solid
so the accountability of a friend streak serves little (if any) purpose for a guy like me
i sold my soul to owly many moons ago π
i don't need any added incentive to keep coming back every day
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so what purpose does it really serve? π€
for us lost souls, not a whole lot right now
but...
for those who still find themselves free of owly's controlling clutches, a friend streak might be exactly what they need to finally forgo their freedom βοΈ
this is where the shared accountability could definitely be useful
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for instance...
suppose you're a newbie and you'd like to lay the ground work for a daily Duolingo habit
going alone can be difficult
but, if you happen to find another poor sod ready to give their life to Duolingo, then you're in business π
it could be your dad
friend
sister
dog
anyone with an interest in learning a language and developing a daily habit would be ripe for this
your personal streak grows day by day alongside your friend streak
accountability to both yourself AND your pal ensues
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but still, Duolingo is missing a trick here
the benefits of a friend streak needn't be reserved for those just starting out on their Duolingo journeys
a friend streak is something that could work for everyone, right across the board
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consider this for a second:
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what do you and your buddy receive when you complete a friends quest? π€
a delicious double xp boost, of course π§ͺ
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and what do you get when you hit personal streak milestones? π€
a chest full of gems π
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in both cases -- added incentives to keep on cracking
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so why, after all these months, has Duolingo failed to extend these same rewards to those with epic friend streaks? π€·
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doing so would make perfect sense
further incentivize the starting and keeping of shared streaks by furnishing both users with some form of reward π€
whether that be an xp boost,
a chest of gems,
or immunity from owly's next murder
this would make the feature a million times better for everyone
something that would engage both new and long-term users in equal measure
i'm genuinely surprised this wasn't a thing from the start to be honest π€·
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so hopefully, when the Matt x Matt streak hits 100, we'll get more for our milestone than just a number π₯
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...but what do you think?
| what do you think of Duolingo's friend streaks? π€π₯ |
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π€ͺ Weird Duolingo π€ͺ
If you weren't aware: I absolutely love a pigeon. So this week's Weird Duolingo will forever have a special place in my heart.
Cheers to Lucile for sending in this beauty:
Some pigeons fly, others prefer horsepower... π¦π
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Seen a weird-ass sentence? Let me know... and it could feature in a future newsletter!
