Millennials and Gen Z are the first generations to really experience the reality of dating with a twist, the Internet. Relationships are complicated as it is with trust, compatibility and time together. But now that social media is at everyone’s fingertips these complications have been taken to a whole other level.
We have hookups just swipes away, lack of privacy due to public displays of our lives on blogs, and multiple views of promiscuity at easy access. As a result, our generation has the freedom to date who we want, have sex out of wedlock and have multiple partners.
Those who are more traditional, however, really have to try to navigate these new norms and avenues of finding love and relationships. In an ideal situation, they’d meet their future partner in person or through a mutual connection. They would get to know each other and have conversations in person and through phone calls.
But there’s still hope for those of us who want the fairytale ending. We just have to explore other avenues, and the main platforms for our generation today are dating apps and websites. In my experience, these are some of the most effective for college students:
(Photo by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash)
1.Tinder U
It’s the same Tinder but with a more tailored pool of candidates. You can only access Tinder U if you have an .edu email and are in the same geographic location. And the best part is that these features take care of answering some of your most important questions. Is my match also perusing higher education? Is there anybody on campus I’ve been crushing on that will match with me? Another benefit of Tinder U is your dating pool becomes smaller and more manageable. Even if you don’t find your next relationship or hookup, you could meet your future study buddy.
2. Bumble
Bumble is here to get you out of your comfort zone and into your crush’s DMs. Yes, ladies, you heard me right: the only way you’ll be getting to know your match is if you message them first—which gives you the upper hand to decide if you really want this match to work. You can also approach men how you want: avoiding the uncomfortable introductions and setting the tone for your desired conversation. The main purpose of Bumble is for you to find your honey. But if you already have a honey or are tired of swiping for one, you have the choice to move to other platforms like Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz with the same concept of swiping left and right for a new friend, business partner, mentor or future boss.
3. Clover
The Clover app has many options besides the usual swipe technique that is so often only based on looks. Instead of spending your time swiping, you can explore live mixers made by other users. You can pick a mixer that relates to you by its title. The titles for mixers vary, such as 90s babies, Riverside singles and military singles. You can also set up dates through the app. You or another user can request a date, and then one of you can suggest a place and time. The request is sent to your prospective date, and they have the option to say if they are interested or not. Clover also sends you potential dates, and if you’re interested, you also have the option to play 20 questions with other users to get to know them better.
It can be frustrating looking for the right app to fit your dating values. These apps are beneficial with aligning to your needs. Good luck in your search finding the man of your dreams. With the help of these apps, you’ll be able to see him and scout him out on your own terms. Welcome to the world of online dating for the college student!