Tinder. Bumble. Hinge. Just a few of the many dating apps out there. Whether you’re looking for love, a hookup, or you’re just bored, everyone has probably used or considered using one of these apps at least once. 40 percent of Americans use online dating apps. 27 percent of young adults have reported using them, which has increased 10 percent from 2013, according to research found by the dating site eHarmony.
So, what’s the craze with dating apps? Why have they become so popular – especially for college students?
To start off with some background information, Tinder and Bumble are ranked as the top two dating apps. Based off statistics discovered by Craig Smith, there is an estimated 50 million people that use Tinder and an average of 10 million people that go on the app every day. If you’re unfamiliar with Tinder, it is an app where if you’re interested in someone, you swipe right on their profile. If the interest is mutual, they swipe right as well, and it is a match. Then either user has the option to send a message to start a conversation.
Started by Tinder co-founder, Bumble also has 50 million users and there is an average of three million messages that are sent daily. For Bumble, the swiping works in the same way where swiping right results in a match. However, one difference between the apps is for heterosexual couples, the woman has to make the first move and she is the only one who is allowed to send a message.
With an increase in the use of technology and smart phones, it has never been easier to use dating apps. With one download, there are millions of people you can talk to with just a swipe of your finger. One reason why dating apps are so popular on college campuses is because there is a setting where you can only match with someone who is within a certain distance from your location. That means, if you strictly want to match with someone who attends the same college as you, it’s possible to do that. This setting makes it so easy for people to meet others that live within a short distance of them so meeting up in person is less difficult and stressful. Another reason why these apps are so commonly used is because college students are busy. From classes and clubs to internships and jobs, it can be hard to find the time to go out and meet someone. With dating apps, you can match with and talk to someone without having to leave the comfort of your dorm.
When students finally do have free time, they might want a distraction, and that is another situation where dating apps can come into play. A study done by Abodo surveyed 3,500 college students across America and found that 91percent of the students didn’t use dating apps for hookups, but as a form of entertainment instead. When students are bored, it is so addictive just to swipe through profiles, and it was discovered that getting matches is an ego boost. Similar to how people feel good when they get “likes” on their Instagram, students can feel a spike of adrenaline when they match with someone because it makes them feel desired and attractive.
I downloaded Tinder going into my sophomore year of college simply because I was bored one day and wanted a distraction. I used the app occasionally after work and would mindlessly swipe through guy after guy. I only ever ended up going on dates with 2 of my matches, and nothing serious ever came out of either of them. I never really took Tinder seriously, considering it more of an app to use when nothing else was going on. However, I was proven wrong when I matched with a guy who I’ve now been dating for almost 6 months. He messaged me and we started talking until we finally picked a time to hang out and go on an “official” date. This goes to show, even though the majority of college aged students view dating apps as a form of entertainment or as an easy way to find a hookup, sometimes something more serious can come out of using them if you have an open mind.