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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Ashoka chapter.

Edited by: Bhavika Rawat

Ah, dating apps. Gen Z’s digital meat market. A place where love, lust, and the occasional victim of catfishing, collide. If you’ve never ventured into this desert filled with oases and mirages alike (respect, really), let me paint you a picture: a virtual roulette where you’re the ball, spinning between potential soulmates, horrendous grammar and countless shirtless gym selfies.

I have never used a dating app personally, although my app store search history is proof that hinge has not completely eluded my mind. I know you are going to accuse me of making judgements about online dating without knowing anything about it right about now so let me just be clear–I have contributed more to my friends’ hinge and bumble profile makings than I have to group projects that literally had a peer feedback component in them. So, do not fret, I am speaking from experience. 

So, the most consistently interesting part about these apps are the bios. Each one tops the other in humour, although I do not believe the humour is ever intended. It is one of my favourite pastimes to just take my friend’s phone and scroll through every potential match’s profile. 

One bio read, “I can bench 200 lbs. Can I bench you too?”. Romantic, huh?

Another gem simply said, “Ready to date”. No shit, sherlock. 

Next, “Swipe right if you breathe oxygen?”. At least this one was smart. (smarter, sorry)

Honestly, the highs of the swipe economy are so intoxicating. That rush of dopamine when you match with someone who’s actually cute (and not just in their one good angle) is enough to make you feel like Taylor Swift’s adopted child for about five seconds.

But then the lows hit—ghosting, getting rejected. A friend of mine had a great conversation going with this girl. They were bonding over their shared love of rap. But then the conversation shifted to astrological signs and when my friend said he was a Virgo, lo and behold! No further texts, complete silence. The funny part? A month later, the same girl is going out with a Scorpio. So…

Anyways, who are we to judge? 

Talking about the same friend (cannot name him but you know who you are), he went through this phase of getting ghosted for about two miserable weeks of his life. Miserable for him, that is. Pure, unadulterated fun for us. Anytime he had a rapport going on with a girl, BAM! Suddenly out of nowhere, she stopped replying. They all did. He must have been ghosted about seven times in that period. To be clear so that you don’t start pitying him, no amount of ghosting deterred him. He was and still is a chronic hinge user.

Another friend of mine hadn’t replied to about ten or more people and apparently Hinge does not let you start a new conversation when you reach a certain limit of unread texts. So she got a notification from Hinge informing her about this. I told her to start replying to people and she barked out a laugh. “Pehle is notification ka screenshot leke apne twitter pe daalne de”

She was proud of this.She wanted to show it off. I was then told that she had been waiting for this notification for a long time??? Honestly, this level of commitment? I can respect it. 

Of course, there are success stories. My childhood best friend met her boyfriend on Bumble. She loved his bio. Something about hating mayonnaise deeply resonated with her. (Pro tip: nachos + vulnerability = modern romance.) Currently they’re in a happy-ish relationship, and she has convinced me that love can bloom in a desert as well.

Dating apps are an emotional rollercoaster with more loops than logic. My question is whether they are the Gen-Z Cupid, armed with algorithms instead of arrows? Or just a catastrophe waiting to unfold? The jury’s still out. In the meantime, you keep swiping—partly for love, but mostly for our entertainment. So, whether you’re searching for your soulmate or just someone to have a conversation with at 2 a.m., may the online presence ever be in your favor. 

And if not, Hinge always makes for a good story.

Psychology Major, Bio Minor, Probably Socio Conc (i wonder why too). Part of Her Campus, Psych Soc, Ministry of Community Well Being and Ruhi. (sometimes I study as well). Guilty pleasures include One Direction and rewatching b99 for the 1000th time (Jake and Doug Judy should have gotten married). Also love crying a little too much :)