The global coronavirus outbreak has changed a lot of things about the world today, including the concept of dating and finding love.
To many, love is the bedrock that holds the world together, and the coronavirus pandemic emerged in full force to wreak havoc on that very foundation.
Yet, couples have found means to sustain their relationship amid the pandemic, while singles embrace various alternative means of connecting and finding love. One such means that has become prevalent is the use of dating apps like Tinder and Bumble.
FINDING LOVE AMID THE PANDEMIC
As more singles spend quality time on mobile dating apps, conversations have increased, and so has the number of successful hookups. Explaining the sudden flux of young adults to online dating, Dr. Jennifer Mieres, a New York-based cardiologist and author said:
“Loneliness causes fearfulness, especially during times like these. Many young adults are thinking about their mortality, which makes us crave human connection.”
She went further to attribute this heightened loneliness to the absence of the usual everyday interactions like hanging with friends and socializing at the office. Her assertions are not farfetched, as the pandemic unarguably took the world to a strictly virtual online era. So why not dating?
BEFORE DIVING IN
The use of dating apps has become more prevalent since the onset of the pandemic, paving way for a new romance. Dating apps have become more flexible too, availing users the option to pick the type of COVID-19 dating that works best for them.
Dating vrtually, via FaceTime, Zoom, and other video-calling apps are as good as it gets
Some of these selections include distanced with a mask, online-only, or walking date among others. As useful as such apps are, they also have their downsides, hence the need to tread with caution.
SOME USEFUL TIPS FOR DATING DURING COVID-19
Before getting serious with a prospective partner on a dating app, it is important to set the ground rules earlier on in the relationship. Clarifying exactly what one expects from the affair is a crucial first step.
One needs to find out the prospect’s intentions as well to ensure both parties are on the same page. After ensuring both interests are aligned, proceeding to observe the connection between you two should follow.
Another essential thing to look out for in a budding romance is how keen the new partner is about meeting family and friends. If everything checks out, then it is time to take the bold step of directly asking a partner if the relationship was working for them.
HOW TOUGH CAN IT GET?
Thanks to the pandemic, dating virtually, via FaceTime, Zoom, and other video-calling apps are as good as it gets, at least during the first stages of the relationship. Eventually, the partners become keen on meeting up in real-time.
With both partners at risk of contracting the virus during the physical hook-up, it is necessary to ask some major questions before following through with that in-person date.
Some of these questions include: How Often does the partner wear a mask? What is their COVID-19 status? What have they been up to in the last 14 days? Do they have other partners? How long ago did their last relationship end?
If the answer to any of these questions is unsatisfactory, consider staying home instead.