diff --git a/welcome.rb b/welcome.rb
index e724875..2b6c648 100644
--- a/welcome.rb
+++ b/welcome.rb
@@ -82,15 +82,15 @@ tz = %x{tzselect}
 puts
 puts "  you selected #{tz}, adding this to your ~/.profile now"
 puts "  it might not take effect until you log out and back in"
-open("~/.profile", "a") { |f| f.puts "export TZ='#{tz}'" }
+open(".profile", "a") { |f| f.puts "export TZ='#{tz}'" }
 
 # pronouns
 sep
 puts "step 5:"
-pronounts = prompt.ask("  what are your preferred pronouns?")
+pronouns = prompt.ask("  what are your preferred pronouns?")
 puts "  saving your pronouns to your ~/.pronouns file."
 puts "  feel free to update it as needed!"
-open("~/.pronouns", "w") { |f| f.puts pronouns }
+open(".pronouns", "w") { |f| f.puts pronouns }
 
 
 # welcome completed
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ puts
 puts "please come stop by chat when you get a chance by running the 'chat' command" unless enable_byobu
 puts "we're happy to help as needed and get you any information you're looking for"
 puts "have a look at our wiki: https://tilde.team/wiki/ (ctrl-click will let you open that from here)"
-File.delete("~/.new_user")
+File.delete(".new_user")
 
 if enable_byobu
     exec "byobu"