Post-Covid Dating
Could this be the summer of love?! Top executives of some of the largest dating apps say yes, as they gear up for a highly anticipated post-pandemic dating season following their latest earnings reports. Match CEO, Share Dubey, said, “The vaccination rates and control over covid cases these last few months have resulted in our users feeling more confident about their dating lives.” Consequently, dating apps are seeing the effects of “pent-up demand” across regions.
On June 22nd, Tinder, the “highest grossing non-gaming app globally,” launched an array of new features with Gen Z in mind. The launch introduced its users to video capabilities in profiles, social experiences, and later this summer there will be an Explore section where members can navigate matches by interest, activity or content type such as roller skaters, thrill seekers or festival goers.
Jim Lanzone, Tinder’s CEO, says the new features are a response to the demands of a new generation of daters (representing more than 50% of Tinder’s global members) asking for “more ways to show off their authentic selves, more ways to have fun and interact with others virtually, and more control over who they meet on Tinder and how they communicate.”
With cities like New York having lifted most pandemic restrictions, opportunities to date both virtually and in person can make for exciting — albeit raw and nerve-racking — experiences. Especially for those who have resumed dating following a prolonged break due to the pandemic, getting back in the dating scene can feel like unfamiliar and uncertain territory. So how can people navigate dating in a bustling, competitive pool of individuals eager to bond with others while grappling with the effects of a pandemic not yet fully resolved?
“Start from a place of vulnerability and connection,” suggests Logan Ury, Hinge’s director of relationship science. The isolation from the pandemic has given way to a spectrum of emotions ranging from apprehension to enthusiasm when it comes to figuring out how to date again. According to Ury, the phenomenon is being referred to as, “F.O.D.A., or fear of dating again.” She encourages people to understand they’re not alone and that it’s normal to not feel ready to date again. By being transparent about feelings of uncertainty at the beginning of a date, or opting for a virtual first date to relieve some anxiety, people can begin to work on exercising their dating muscles and take an opportunity to reset their approaches, practices, and intentions.
Naomy Ambroise, a 28-year-old Human Resource, Finance and Operations Coordinator in Brooklyn, wants to hone her dating skills this season and learn how to talk to guys face to face. Primarily using Hinge to match with dates, Ambroise became active on the dating app in October of 2020, months into the pandemic. Since joining, Ambroise has gained confidence by interacting more with men who are actually interested in dating. She says that she meditates and prays before each date so that she can be guided and accountable to herself in conversations with dates. “The pandemic revealed a lot about who I am, what I want, and how good my current state is,” she writes over email, “so I try to be very honest first with myself, and let that translate into my conversation. If they’re expecting something I can’t give them at this time, then that’s that. I’m not putting on any airs about myself any longer.”
S. Tia Brown, a licensed therapist and life coach, wrote tips for Ebony.com on how to handle dating post-pandemic. Specifically, in regards to how to approach conversations related to the coronavirus, Brown writes, “when it comes to meeting new people, it’s often hard to ask questions that one believes may hurt, offend, or make one feel awkward,” writes Brown, “But asking those uncomfortable questions—Are you vaccinated?; When was the last time you got tested?; Are you dating other people?; Are you hanging out at unmasked events?—must become part of the new normal because your health, and the health of your loved ones, depends on it.”
Ambroise is fully vaccinated and prefers in-person date experiences that involve lunch or dinner and a chatty conversation, ideally leading to potential plans for a second date. Last week, Ambroise went on a first and second date and when asked if anything had surprised her about resuming in-person dating she writes, “I’m surprised at how free I feel to just go on a date and just be there to explore a person, and not have all these expectations of what a first date should be. No matter what, I’m gonna have a good time because I was open, honest, and I didn’t pay for it...even if my date was terrible.”
