【】

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), the beloved messaging service that was the first online experience for an entire generation, will finally reach the end of its life later this year.

SEE ALSO:How dancing emoji hijacked your job — and why there's no going back

The remnants of the once popular chat service will be taken off life support (i.e. AOL parent company Oath will discontinue support) on Dec. 15. So if you're still using AIM to chat with your friends and make plans to meet up at the local mall, you'd better start looking for an alternative chat service.

Tweet may have been deleted

AOL pushed out an email about the instant messenger's demise this morning, so if you still have access to an account, you should check your inbox for this sad message:

Mashable Light SpeedWant more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter.By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Thanks for signing up!

Tweet may have been deleted

The news is sure to be heart-wrenching for millennials who spent hours on end messaging with friends, tying up their parents' phone lines on dial-up connections. But AIM has fallen out of favor in recent years, as we've migrated to newer, flashier services on our smartphones like SnapChat, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp.

Come December 15, all that will be left are memories of unfortunate screen names (remember Swimfan?) and odes to a simpler time online. Take a moment today to pay your respects, and set an appropriately sappy Dashboard Confessional away message in tribute.

---

Featured Video For You

---

This guy has 1,500 passwords, and a few tips for staying secure

---

TopicsSocial Media