When I first heard about online dating platforms, I assumed that these websites would only be popular amongst people who had difficulty meeting potential mates who shared their interests. That is, I thought that online dating was for middle-aged people. Now, however, in the 2010s, this is certainly not the case. Online dating is no longer something that only middle-aged people do; on the contrary, it is becoming more and more popular amongst college students.
So why are college students signing up for online dating websites? Some do it out of boredom, as a joke, or as a drunken dare. But more and more of us are starting to realize how nice it is to be able to branch out and communicate with individuals who we would not otherwise meet. One Tufts senior I spoke to told me that she thought OkCupid was a good way to meet someone older, outside of the Tufts community. Another Jumbo explained that, in some ways, online dating is similar to meeting someone at a party hosted at a different school. The chance of meeting the right guy or girl at a party is slim, and the same goes for online dating. Most users tend to meet each other once, find that the chemistry is lacking, and decide not to pursue the relationship further. But even so, good stories are often forged in the process.
Given the casual hook-up culture that is so prevalent on college campuses, one might assume that students engage in online dating in order to find off-campus sexual partners. Perhaps this is so, but there have been some online dating success stories. A Tufts junior told me that after a series of failed first dates, he has found someone he is really happy with, and they have now been together for seven months and counting.
Online dating seems to appeal to the gay community more than any other group. “It is much easier to find a gay person and be sure that they are gay online,” a student explained. “You only have to set up the preference (i.e. man seeking man). It is also great way to find gay people who are more silent, or not as flamboyant about their sexuality — if that is your type.”
While online dating has its fair share of perks, it is not for everyone. Another user I spoke to closed his account, after realizing that he prefers getting to know people face-to-face. Furthermore, users always face the possibility of seeing a classmate on the same dating site, which can create awkward tension in class.
As a Jumbo online dater concludes, “Everything we do now is done through the internet… so there is nothing wrong with expanding your pool via these platforms.” The sense of awkwardness that is associated with meeting people through online dating will likely fade out as the practice becomes more popular on college campuses, and Tufts will not be an exception.