From Tinder to True Love
Online dating can be really tricky to navigate. Do they just want a hookup? Threesome? Or the god-forbidden whole package- a relationship. Although rare on a college campus, it does happen, and I’m going to tell you how to make that seamless transition.
The Messages
The first step is navigating the first messages. This is where you will almost immediately be able to tell what their intentions are. If they message you something overly sexual, chances are they probably are not interested in anything more than that. If that is what you are looking for, then perfect! You have met your match! However, if it is not, that is also fine, but I would avoid these types of messages. Conversely, if you read their message and find it horribly mundane, this is also probably not the person for you. If you are not able to have a conversation with them, you will never be able to develop a connection, and therefore no relationship.
So what is the perfect message? Something that is personalized for specifically you. If they form their message based off something on your specific profile, it shows that they took the time to think about what they said, and shows that they have some type of emotional depth. A message based off your pictures or bio about a hobby shows the interest that the person has in getting to know more about you.
From the hopeful initial message, natural chemistry will take over. See if the conversation flows nicely and if they are willing to change subjects when the conversation begins to die. If they are asking you questions about yourself and seem interested in knowing more about you, this is a very hopeful sign towards something more serious off Tinder.
The First Date
After a few days, if you are still interested, consider asking them on a date. MAKE SURE THE DATE IS IN A PUBLIC SPACE! Although you have been talking to this person for a few days, you do not know them and do not know what they are capable of. Always proceed on the side of caution. Make sure your friends know the name of who you are going to meet, where you are meeting them, the approximate time you should be back, and are familiar with what they look like. Always trust your instinct, and if you start to get a weird vibe from the person, abort the mission. No date is worth ignoring your gut feeling.
For the first date, make sure you are feeling like your most confident self. Do whatever routine you need to do to aid that, and wear whatever makes you feel comfortable but also makes you feel desirable. Get out those jitters before they get there. Remember, if you have really been hitting it off and have made it to this point, they are just as nervous as you are. Lastly, as corny as it is, be yourself. You want them to like and get to know you, not some persona that you put on.