You probably know someone who’s famous (or infamous) for being a little too blunt. They’re the kind of person who doesn’t seem to have much of a filter, even when what they’re saying could tick some people off. If they disagree with your wardrobe choices, you’ll be the first to know about it. If you’re making a career move that they think is risky, they won’t hold back. Even the color of your car might end up in their crosshairs.

But you know what? This isn’t always a bad thing – and you don’t necessarily have to rely on your friends for this kind of brutal honesty. Random video chatting on a site like Chatrandom will involve conversations with all kinds of people, and plenty of them won’t hold back if something about you catches their attention.

Even if these types of chat partners aren’t quite as entertaining as they could be, they can still benefit you in the long run. Not convinced? Here are some scenarios that might change your mind.

Scenario #1: You’re interested in being friends, the other person isn’t, and they tell you as much.

Getting rejected is unpleasant under any circumstances, but being told to back off is downright awkward. This isn’t one of those situations that you can necessarily turn around to your benefit in the moment; in fact, the best response is probably just to find another chat partner. However, this doesn’t mean it was all for nothing.

Everybody has to deal with negative experiences every now and again, starting from the time they were infants and were told they couldn’t chew on the scissors. You can’t always control how a situation turns out, but you can control how you respond to it. As a baby, you probably cried whenever you were denied something, but you learned to get over it eventually. By the same token, getting rejected by your chat partners could help you develop thicker skin, meaning you won’t take it quite as hard the next time it happens.

Scenario #2: Your chat partner disagrees with you.

Wouldn’t it all be nice if we got along? The eternal refrain of elementary school teachers doesn’t really apply to random video chatting, and it’s probably for the best. With so many people talking with each other online, you’d pretty much have to ban any subject that mattered in order to make sure everything went smoothly.

It’s definitely possible for people to disagree civilly, or even decide to debate each other if that’s what they’re into. However, this isn’t how it’ll always turn out. Sometimes your chat partner will think you’re wrong, and flat-out tell you so. Is this something you’ll enjoy? Probably not. Even so, if you can keep your responses from being inflammatory, you could still turn the disagreement into an intellectually stimulating argument. Who knows – they might have some talking points you never thought of before!

Scenario #3: Your chat partners keep skipping you.

Random video chatting involves a lot of talking, obviously, but it also involves skipping over people you aren’t interested in chatting with. And guess what? The same thing will happen to you. Up to a certain point, this is just the way random chatting works – you aren’t going to be the right chat partner for everyone on the site. That being said, it’s possible that you’re getting passed up because of something you could potentially improve.

For instance, having bad lighting or a low-resolution webcam could make a poor first impression for your chat partners. Even something as simple as using a couple of lamps instead of a harsh overhead light could make all the difference. If your webcam is the issue, you could probably get a better-quality option for under $40. Hide any clutter under the furniture and brush your hair, and you’re in business!

Scenario #4: After getting a few playground insults about the same thing, you start to wonder if they’re right.

Getting bullied is no joke, but if you’re getting flack from online trolls, that kind of bullying is a lot easier to ignore. Even so, paying attention to what they say doesn’t have to mean you’re taking it to heart; it could mean that you’re using it as a chance to improve yourself.

Everybody has certain blind spots; it could be that their taste in home décor is really awful, or that their obsession with Star Trek borders on being unhealthy. If you don’t care what others think about your life choices, then keep doing that – there’s no need to fix what isn’t broken. If you’re open to feedback, though, even if it’s exceptionally rude feedback, those bullies might be able to point you in the right direction in spite of themselves.

Scenario #5: Your appearance is the subject of distasteful comments.

Curtains and figurine collections aren’t the only things that could be targeted by internet trolls; you might end up being the subject of their nasty jokes. If you realize that you’re talking with someone who’s just there to insult you, the best policy is always to leave them and find someone else. Still, what if they’re right? If you can consider the fact that they might be onto something without letting it put a dent in your self-esteem, you might realize that it really is time to update your haircut, or stop wearing a shade of eyeshadow that was so popular when you were in high school. A lot of people look back on pictures of themselves from 5, 10, or 20 years ago and cringe when they see what passed for “their look” back then. Bullies certainly aren’t the best people to take fashion advice from, but sometimes they can tell you things that other people won’t bother to mention.

You don’t get to decide who you chat with, but you can decide how you react!

Most important of all, remember that random video chatting is about having fun. As long as you’re enjoying yourself, you’re on the right track!