Even if you usually like meeting people in person or leaving things up to fate, 2020 is forcing many of us to reevaluate our stance on online dating. On the bright side, you’ll have plenty of apps and sites to choose from. On the downside, you might not be able to share that first kiss when you normally would. We thought we’d pull together some tips to help you find your person through online dating during the pandemic.
Boundaries Are More Important than Ever
Healthy boundaries are great under normal circumstances. In a pandemic, they’re even more important to communicate firmly and in advance. It’s unlikely that your potential match has exactly the same views on how to stay safe and what’s acceptable, so be very explicit up front. And don’t be afraid to be firm on this.
Understand that No One Is at Their Best
This year hasn’t been great for anyone’s mental health. If you were using dating apps before, you might want to readjust how you approach them now.
…And Neither Are You
Let’s go out on a limb here and say that you’re feeling the strain of the past few months. If you’ve been struggling to keep people interested on dating apps, don’t get too down on yourself.
Avoid Poor Dating App Etiquette
Do you find yourself jumping onto apps (of every kind), playing around for a bit and then abandoning them until you’re bored again in a few weeks? This may look like you’re just shooting messages out to strangers never to be heard from again (or not until weeks later). Just try to avoid using the apps to fill a boredom-shaped hole in your life exclusively.
It’s Okay to Take a Break
On the flip side, it’s okay if you’d prefer to take a break from the endless zoom dates.
Be Honest
And that includes being honest about not knowing how to proceed with dating during a pandemic. It’s okay to just say out loud that you don’t know what to do next even if the virtual date was great.
Embrace the Novelty
Our brains like novelty, so you may as well enjoy one of the silver linings.
Have Your Video Chats Somewhere You Don’t Do Work
This is just a general tip to avoid doing the fun stuff in the same place where you do work if you’re working from home at all.
Figure Out What to Talk About
There’s no shame in making a list. These days, it’s easy to get caught up in highly charged topics or to feel like your days are all the same.
Understand That Things May Not Go Back to the Way They Were
It’s tough to know when the world might ‘return to normal,’ but even more than that we don’t know if things will really just snap back. If you’ve been putting this part of your life on hold, you may end up waiting much longer than you thought.
