Let’s face it: it’s difficult to meet new people these days. Yes, you go out to bars and clubs, and yes, your friends know cute guys… but odds are they’re probably all in committed relationships, or married. Truth is, you aren’t getting any younger and well… that’s why we have dating apps.
As a communications student, I can tell you all about how, as millennials, we’re losing ‘the human touch’. We’re constantly on our cell phones, which have become our main source of communication. Cell phones are changing the way in which we interact with ourselves and each other. We can go on and on about the negative aspects of the rise of social media, but just for a moment, let’s focus on how cool social media actually is. Way back in the day, you couldn’t text your (potential) bae. You couldn’t wake up to good morning texts and good night texts weren’t a thing. Social media has made things more interesting for us, so let’s embrace it and talk about *gasp* dating apps.
Dating apps: you either love them or hate them. I don’t know about you, but I think that they’re pretty entertaining. I can sit there for hours with my friends just swiping right or left; it’s a hoot! My best friend Will loves it when I send him screenshots of the most scandalous profiles. He loves to make up fake bios for every dude on these apps. I usually joke around on the app, but truth is, I’m open to whatever comes my way. I’m clearly not meeting anyone elsewhere, so why not?
It’s possible ladies and gents. You can find that special someone on these apps. Although most people are just looking to smash, there’s a handful of good people on these apps who genuinely don’t have time to go out and meet someone new. Some people are just shy, and downloading Tinder and/or Bumble is their own way of putting themselves out there. We’re all different and find comfort in different things.
I know several people who have found their significant others on dating apps. They’re in some of the happiest relationships I have ever encountered. My best friend, for example, dated a guy for over a year. Although their relationship didn’t last, it’s not because she met him on Tinder. Sometimes things just don’t work out. Sometimes, things just aren’t meant to be. And that’s okay too. Life is all about experimenting and experiencing new things.
Whether you’re meeting someone new or reconnecting with that cute guy from your Italian class in first year, give them a chance. They may surprise you and learn how to play your favorite Peter Gabriel song on the guitar. They make take you out on the best date ever. You may end up laying on a field for an hour on a cold winter night looking up at the stars and wondering why you ever doubted giving them a second chance. It may turn into something, or nothing at all. But stay positive, enjoy the ride and have a little fun.
So don’t laugh at people who download these apps. Wish them luck. Be open to the new things. It’s easier to embrace things for what they are than try to fight them. Don’t judge people for actively trying to find that special someone. Most of us won’t be spending the rest of our lives with our high school sweetheart, so why not try something new?
Swipe left on the haters in your life, and keep on doing you.
Featured image via Samson Katt on Pexels
