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TAMU | Life

ARE WE SLOWLY LOSING THE MEET-CUTE?

Bryleigh Garza Student Contributor, Texas A&M University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Have you ever considered whether dating apps are introducing us to people we were never meant to meet- someone who was only a few miles away the whole time, yet we happened to never notice, never interact with, or ever see? As someone who has always romanticized fate and the classic meet-cute, I feel like dating apps have taken away all the excitement and wonder of meeting someone naturally. However, I want to preface this by saying there’s absolutely no shame in using dating apps. I know they have their uses; I just want to explore some of the downsides of dating apps that are often not talked about or overlooked. 

Good or bad, dating apps have definitely influenced modern dating. Instead of a friend of a friend, there’s now a digital matchmaker. At first, to me, it felt a little dystopian because it made romance seem so algorithmic and facilitated. The possibility of an unexpected connection was being replaced with technology-driven matches. I do see the appeal of dating apps because, truthfully, the unexpected can feel a little scary; going up to a stranger in public and interacting, for Gen Z especially, can feel very intimidating. Approaching someone introduces the possibility of rejection up front and in your face, which takes a lot of vulnerability. So, in that regard, dating apps can feel like an easier, less complicated way of going about modern dating. That being said, every time someone settles on that option, they are losing an opportunity for face-to-face human connection. 

Face-to-face human connection is important because actually seeing someone, hearing their voice, and even having a simple conversation with them allows us to experience them beyond their physical appearance. Dating apps rely heavily on immediate attraction, which can make it too easy to swipe away, but appearance isn’t everything. Sometimes it’s their humor, confidence, or kindness that makes them attractive, and those qualities can be difficult to capture in a profile. I think that dating apps cause us to dismiss people too easily; people we might have otherwise given a chance if we had met them naturally.

Dating apps sometimes create this illusion of endless options, which can make people seem easily dismissible or replaceable. When dating apps are constantly introducing new users or new potential matches, there is always going to be the possibility of someone more attractive, more compatible, or more interesting. This can make it hard to stop swiping or to feel content with options we may already have. Dating can start to feel like an endless search for the best possible option, which I know can also be exhausting. 

A like on a dating app can certainly give you a quick, short boost of dopamine, but what about eye contact, having them walk over and initiating a conversation, or seeing someone and feeling the urge to approach them? To me, those moments mean a lot more. These cute little interactions can even happen when we’re not looking for them at all; that gives us a sense of spontaneity that would otherwise be lost on a dating app. 

At the end of the day, I don’t think that dating apps are inherently bad, and I fully understand why people use them; I have been there myself. They can help us to notice people who have been there all along and create opportunities that might not have existed otherwise. The goal of this article was never to shame anyone or hate on dating apps; it was simply to help draw attention to some of the downsides and encourage people to consider what they might be missing when using them. A dating app may claim you’re compatible, but can’t visiting your favorite places and meeting someone there naturally offer that same possibility, with the added bonus of spontaneity, excitement, and possibly even a meet-cute story?

Bryleigh Garza

TAMU '27

Bryleigh Garza is a first-year member of Her Campus at Texas A&M and serves on the public relations committee, which oversees designs and press releases. She is most interested in writing about entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle.

Outside of Her Campus, Bryleigh is a Texas Aggie class of 2027. She is currently studying to earn her Bachelor of Science in Communications with a minor in Business. During the summer, She worked full-time for the City of Austin as a camp counselor, where she organized, scheduled, and planned day-to-day activities and tasks, as well as took photos that would be uploaded to the website and newsletters.

Other than school, the club, and working on her future, Bryleigh enjoys all types of relaxing and engaging activities, such as reading, writing, painting, and baking. She also finds walking while listening to music to be a great stress reliever.