Getting ready for dates this year has never been easier–throw on a shirt, brush your hair and you’re all set. Dating has taken on an entirely new method due to the pandemic. Pre-covid, the norm for meeting possible partners was either organically at a bar or meeting for dinner through a dating app. The date would usually consume the entire evening. Now that many in-person dates have become almost impossible and impractical, many people have resorted to virtual dating.
Virtual dating has forced us all to slow down, while also speeding up the dating timeline. People have begun taking dating apps more seriously this year. Hookup culture isn’t as popular as it used to be, especially because it’s not safe right now. More people have been actively searching for a serious, long-term relationship instead. The gravity of the pandemic has changed many of our priorities.
During these online dates, many people have been asking deep, thought-provoking questions to cultivate discussions. This tactic allows people to form more meaningful relationships with better communication than many relationships pre-covid. Dates this time last year involved a lot of small talk and very little communication–it was unclear if you were the only person your date was seeing. Virtual dating also forces you to ask the tough questions–like whether or not you want kids. Also, make sure you know if your date actually stans Lizzo as much as you do before moving forward, or that could be a big deal-breaker!
With more people searching for deeper connections right now, check out our dating app Vinylly. Matching through music allows people to form stronger bonds. Read more about it in this Zoe Report article.
Since meeting new people in-person isn’t practical right now, there’s been a huge boom in dating app usage during the pandemic. Through dating apps, many people have been able to pursue their matches through video calls like Zoom and FaceTime. Sometimes, they’ll move to in-person dates if the couple feels a connection.
This Washington Post article follows the journey of a couple who met for Skype dates once a week, and then went for long (masked) walks together. Oddly enough, they felt more intimate during the virtual dates because there wasn’t social distancing or mask-wearing. Read the article in the Post to learn more about how these close relationships have been forming during the pandemic.
Some people have been getting creative with their virtual dates. They’ll have dinner together on a video call, sometimes even cooking together before the meal. Some will have a drink with their date across the screen. For some other ideas that don’t involve being confined to your home, others are even bringing their date via FaceTime to one of their favorite outdoor spots.
Something unique about Vinylly is that while you can make connections with people who have similar music taste as you, you also have the perfect first virtual date opportunity! In the app, there’s a feature to suggest a concert in the chat. Getting creative for fun date ideas during the pandemic is essential for our sanity. Read more about virtual concerts here.