Five months ago, I was a dating app rookie. For a long time, I was against all forms of online dating ranging from Hinge to Tinder. I believed that I would somehow find my partner strolling through the streets of Manhattan as we just happened to bump into each other at the same coffee shop, or that I'd fall into them on the subway. However, that has not been the case, and when I was asked to stage manage a college production about Tinder and dating, I figured it was time to download this app everyone was talking about. Next thing I knew, I was swiping left and right, and accidentally super liking some people here and there. Soon enough, I was falling down a rabbit hole of other dating apps like Bumble and Hinge.
I still consider myself a dating app amateur, but I have learned some valuable lessons over the last few months, both from my own experiences and talking to friends. I’m still dreaming of meeting my person in the real world (preferably in a city, preferably at a food establishment known for its caffeinated beverages), but hey — the real world isn’t a fairytale.
However, this does not mean you can’t meet a summer fling or your future partner somewhere on the internet. If you are brave enough to download a dating app (probably from the hours of 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.) then here are some helpful tips.