@meeper
> I know like one friend who'd even know what an XMPP is tho tbh

They didn't know what it was before they met me. I told them that I'm not available on Whatsapp but on Quicksy app from play store. If they install Quicksy then we are golden. Otherwise I call, or email them to get notifications from them. After some time, these people also install Quicksy. Meanwhile I also try to make friends with lots of other classmates, and spend a lot of effort in maintaining good friendship with my existing friends.

You may feel like that you'll miss important news, but you somehow find out.

I'm using this method since my undergrad days. And now I'm doing post grad.