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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UPRM chapter.

For some of us, dating can be a pretty terrifying experience, especially when you consider how awkward the process of actually getting a date can be. I’m pretty sure we’ve all been too scared to ask someone out due to fear of rejection at some point in our lives, but there are those that take a much different approach to getting dates: dating apps! Whether we want to admit it or not, we’ve all stumbled into Tinder, be it to find dates or just to meet cool new people to talk to, and these are 6 mistakes to avoid making to get matches and start a successful online dating career.

1. Not Talking to Your Matches:

This seems like a no-brainer, but the amount of ignored matches on Tinder is actually pretty surprising. If you actually got a match, that means that particular person found your bad profile selfies and your fixation with Harry Potter endearing enough to actually swipe right, so don’t be shy, hit them up!

2. Picking Bad Pictures for your Profile:

Seeing as the first thing anyone even sees when swiping is your picture, remember to pick the ones that really tell people the most about you. This of course means “choose pictures that make you look good”, and since we live in an era where it’s actually pretty hard to not have at least ONE good picture, this is pretty easy to achieve.

3. Not Writing a Bio:

However a bio like this isn’t the best either.

This is actually a capital sin on Tinder, except if your’e actually that photogenic that you can get matches based on pictures alone. Your bio is supposed to give potential matches (aka potential future partners) a deeper look into who you are as a person, what your interests are and just how much you love your 12 dogs. Also, it’s a much simpler way to tell your matches if you’re looking for a relationship or something less serious, so don’t skip out on writing one up!

4. Swiping Right on Co-Workers:

This one may seem odd, but this is a situation that can get awkward really quickly if you actually match and things don’t work out. Sure, it can work out wonderfully if things go your way, but personally, I think it would be safer to swipe left on co-workers and ask them out in person if you’re actually interested. Trust me, it’s worth it to avoid those awkward glances at your next meeting.

5. Screwing up your Opening Line:

This one simple mistake can automatically kill a conversation without it ever really starting it. If your match is too shy to message you first, your opening line is literally your one shot to make an impression. Believe me that no-one is gonna be impressed by a simple “Hey”, no matter how many “y’s” you put at the end of it.

6. Taking Tinder Too Seriously:

You may be wondering why this would be included in an article about, well, taking Tinder seriously. Not everyone looks at the whole “online dating” thing the same way, so if you’re planning on creating an account, just be sure to have fun and take full advantage of what the app has to offer. While there are people that are into it on a different level (which is perfectly okay as well), it’s important to remember that it’s all about meeting new people and gaining experiences.

These are just a few things to avoid on Tinder, but just remember that it’s an experience that isn’t for everyone, and regardless of what you’re looking for, what’s important is to have a good time using it.

Hi there! My name is Jose Horta, and I'm an English major at UPRM! I'm currently in my second year, and i hope to someday study law and open my own firm! My general interests include bartending, cinema and board games.
Claudia is a witchy English Literature and International Affairs major from La Parguera. She's worked in various on-campus projects, such as the MayaWest Writing Project and as a tutor at the English Writing Center. In addition, she's worked at Univision and has also been published in El Nuevo Día and El Post Antillano. When she doesn't have her nose in a book, you can find Claudia tweeting something snarky and pushing boundaries as a Beyoncé expert. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @clauuia.