When most people think about Tinder, they think of it as more of a hook-up app than a dating app. We’ve become used to hook-up culture, where it’s more common to hook-up than to date. My experience on Tinder has been somewhat interesting – I’ve met some cool people, and some not-so-cool people, but I never thought I would enter into a serious relationship with a Tinder match.
I’ve been dating my current boyfriend for just under 7 months, and it has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, like any typical relationship. Before my relationship, I was using Tinder for all the wrong reasons – for instant satisfaction via hook-ups. Everyone has the option to use up to six photos on their Tinder profile, and these photos can be stereotypical. Majority of the times guys will post shirtless selfies showing their gains, while girls will use pictures featuring copious amounts of cleavage. Then, there are people like my boyfriend and myself, who both used pictures of ourselves with our dogs (LOL).
Neither of us had any intentions of getting into a serious relationship, especially through Tinder, but fate had other plans for us. It turns out that my boyfriend and I actually went to the same high school, which made me feel confident that he wasn’t going to kidnap me when we first met. We told most people that we randomly started talking, but knew each other from high school, because of the stigma around Tinder.
Most people find using Tinder to be embarrassing, or only for finding someone to hook-up with. When my mom first heard about the app and saw I was using it, she wasn’t impressed. Unfortunately, we both lied to our families and some friends about how we met because admitting our first conversation was on Tinder was a little embarrassing. The people who knew the truth were supportive and kept it a secret.
Just like in the commercials for eHarmony and other dating site (something cheesy coming up), I’d like to thank the app for helping me find someone who I truly enjoy spending time with.
Overall, Tinder is a pretty interesting app to use, if you think of its intended purpose. With hook-up culture being so prevalent these days, actually dating is less common and harder to find. My tip is to give someone a chance, even if you think they’re a little weird. Get out of your comfort zone and you could find the person you’ve been looking for. You have to kiss a few frogs to find your Prince.