I always thought "Nice" was the ultimate blow off text message to send someone when you don't care to engage in whatever conversation they’re throwing at you. “Nice” is generally reserved, in my mind, for Dads. “Nice” is what your dad responds with – after not getting back to you for hours because he couldn’t find his phone – and it’s as enthusiastic as it is perfunctory.

This is a perfect example:

Now, if someone other than my dad sends me a "nice," I assume what any rational, healthy human would assume: they hate me. I then scroll up to our previous messages, read between the lines, find out where I've wronged them, and start spiraling. Like I said, rational and healthy.

Upon some searching, scrolling, and internal reflection, I discovered that I, too, am guilty of sending "nice." (The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, daddio.) But, my “nices” are a little different. See, when I send it, I use an exclamation point, because I'm a millennial woman who doesn't want people to misconstrue the tone of a message!!!!!

But a “nice”-sender I am, nonetheless. Just look at this... multiple "Nice!"s to the same person in a matter of days. That is, in a word, demonic.

But unlike the two thumbs up emojis on RHOSLC that mean "fuck you," turns out, I genuinely meant it. Your previous message sounds nice! or I'm jealous, that sounds great! or Cool, moving on. Kidding!

Not to get too Carrie Bradshaw, but I couldn't help but wonder... Is the text response "nice" – without an exclamation point – not nice at all?

Unlike an "Lol" or the dreaded "Ha," which should only be read as I don't care about this and I'm not going to even waste a braincell on a response, a "Nice" says, I saw this, I'm writing out a word, but you're not going to like it!

It must be different for every person, though, so I asked the above recipient how they felt about the "Nice!" response and they said, "I thought you meant it was nice." Maybe they don't read into things as much as I do, or maybe they're just a boy. (It's probably both.)

Other regular texters had this to say being sent "Nice":

• "I would assume it was because you were mad at me" - Texter A
• "It's a total conversation killer!" - Texter B
• "Never text 'Nice' to a person you actually like" - Texter C
• "You send that a lot, and it makes me feel horrible" - Texter D

But what about with an exclamation — does that change anything?

• "I would assume you were mad at me, but trying to hide it... poorly" - Texter A
• "I don't hate the exclamation with "Nice!" actually" - Texter B
• "I'd assume you still didn't like me" - Texter C
• "You also do that a lot, and it makes me feel horrible" - Texter D

It’s clear that there's no winning in being nice. Unless you’re my dad.