Gone are the days of asking your parents to drive you on dates or meeting each other at your lockers in high school between classes. College dating almost operates like adult dating, but it has different constraints and traditions that deal with the college scene.
Many college students have turned to online dating apps, like Tinder, in order to meet new people, and many long-term and committed relationships come from this way of dating.
However, there comes a time when you will need to take that spark that you have developed online off of it. Before you ever go on a first date, study up on safe questions to ask while on this date- aka, not anything related to politics if you want your relationship to continue any further.
During the time of the Coronavirus, dating apps have become the scene for college students looking to find someone, especially now when universities are locking down on the activities that students can and cannot do while on and off campus. This change in college life has caused any romantic prospects harder to come by, even for those that happen to have returned to campus. Those little circles that define social relationships, like lab partners, gym buddies, people you meet on a night out and avoid eye contact with for the next four years, have been phased out, or rendered virtual.
Not only have dating apps been used to help students gain relationships within their communities, but now we are seeing the rise of what I like to call the “Zoom crush.” I for one have been a victim of this when I have seen some of these boys show up on my screen during zoom. This has caused numerous people to be spurred into disbelief when someone that they don’t know, at least from in person, drops into their DM’s and asks them on a date.
Whether you use Tinder or zoom in order to find your dates, college does provide a new array of people to choose from when you are looking to get into the dating scene. Although this pandemic has caused a major dent in many peoples dating lives, that doesn’t mean that you can’t go out there and find someone for yourselves online. Just remember to play it safe and be cautious if it is someone that you are unfamiliar with. Additionally, always be safe and make good choices when it comes to your own health during such an uncertain time.