diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 4ad68d8..c2689f6 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"log"
 	"net"
@@ -14,9 +15,9 @@ func main() {
 		log.Print(err)
 	}
 
-	rw := bufio.NewReadWriter(bufio.NewReader(conn), bufio.NewWriter(conn))
+	reader := bufio.NewReader(conn)
 	for {
-		ln, err := rw.ReadString('\n')
+		ln, err := reader.ReadString('\n')
 		ln = strings.Trim(ln, "\n")
 		// this switch statement handles cases where the connection is terminated
 		switch {
@@ -31,15 +32,14 @@ func main() {
 
 		switch {
 		case strings.Contains(ln, "Looking up your hostname"):
-			rw.WriteString("NICK pathbbot\r\n")
-			rw.WriteString("USER  inhabitant 8 *  : pathbwalker\r\n")
+			fmt.Fprintf(conn, "NICK pathbbot\r\n")
+			fmt.Fprintf(conn, "USER  inhabitant 8 *  : pathbwalker\r\n")
 		case strings.Contains(ln, "PING"):
 			log.Print("sending PONG")
-			rw.WriteString(strings.Replace(ln, "PING", "PONG", 1))
+			fmt.Fprintf(conn, strings.Replace(ln, "PING", "PONG", 1))
 		case strings.Contains(ln, "End of /MOTD command."):
 			log.Print("Joining #pathb")
-			rw.WriteString("JOIN #pathb\n")
-			rw.Flush()
+			fmt.Fprintf(conn, "JOIN #pathb\n")
 		}
 
 	}