As the world becomes more tech savvy there has also been a shift in dating; ergo online dating. These dating applications have one specific to everybody: Tinder which is for everyone, bumble for the feminist who want to message the guys first, and Positive Singles a dating website for people who have STDs. These are just three of many. If you are dating, then you can find an online platform that suits what you are most comfortable with. However, as common as dating apps have become there are 4 awkward realities you have to face as you decide to download and hide the application in your phone.
1) Everybody is on a Dating App and it is 100% normal.
I remember adding Tinder on my phone and immediately hiding it in my phone where nobody would see it. I also remember turning off the notifications for it so the word, “Tinder” would never pop up on my screen for somebody to see. After a few months I did not care who knew that I had Tinder, because I had seen so many people on there that it became more unusual for me to meet somebody who didn’t have or hadn’t ever had a dating app such as Tinder.
2) Sometimes you meet your Tinder matches without a choice.
Often on Tinder, I have matched with other students that attend my college and the conversations did not go well so I decided to not go out with them. However, I still ended up in a class with them. This is just something you must come to terms with when using a dating app, and the situation will only be as awkward as you let it be. Hold your head high, and smile. It will break the ice, and show them that you don’t care that you met each other on a dating app.
3) Meeting will normally be awkward.
Before meeting somebody for the first time I get wrecked by my nervousness, which I have learned is completely normal. I find that talking to a person for a week to a month online before meeting them helps save a person from some awkward encounters. After speaking to somebody that long with the conversation flowing allows us to get an idea of what that person is like, making the first encounter less awkward. When you meet somebody after a few text exchanges, it does not prepare you for what you are about to encounter. If a person is not willing to message you beforehand and allow you to become more comfortable with them, that is not a person you want to meet. Even in online dating, they should respect your boundaries.
4) Who cares where you meet somebody?
You can find love around any corner, and that includes dating apps. Sometimes people look down on dating apps because they feel as though you cannot find love from them. That or they feel like your love is inferior to finding somebody in person. In reality though, dating apps allow us to come into contact with people we may have never had the oppournity to have met before and allows us to have a better shot at finding love. The more people you meet then the more you know what you are looking or not looking for in a potential mate. Keep swiping and respect the change in the dating game.