The dating game is anything but easy, and in 2022, most people are hooking up and finding their partners on dating apps like Tinder and Hinge. Online dating can be even trickier than your traditional bar setting – there are so many factors to consider.
If you’re struggling with online dating but desperately want your next date to work out, here are a few tips to consider before you swipe right.
Use Personality Types to Understand Them Better
Personality tests all have their limitations, but some of them rely on genuine psychology to provide insight into how people tick. For example, the MBTI and enneagram types can help you understand more about yourself and those around you.
Knowing your own personality type can be enough – this will help you determine what you really need from your romantic relationships. However, an ENTJ in love will behave entirely differently from an INFP, and knowing your potential partner’s type could help you determine whether they’re worth an IRL date.
Make Notes if You Really Like Them
If meeting up face-to-face with someone you’ve been chatting with online is daunting to you, join the club. You can have a million things to say to one another in the chat, but once you meet up in person, the air could be tense, awkward and unnatural.
If you really like the person you’re talking to, make study notes. Note: not in a creepy way. There’s nothing wrong with taking note of details like their job, restaurants they’ve mentioned or a childhood pet that you can ask questions about when you’re actually sitting across from one another.
Limit the Range
Try to stick to a more limited geographical range when you’re hunting for your new boo online. This not only makes things easier for if things actually work out and you and up spending time together regularly, but it also helps narrow down your options.
Sure, you might consider this as limiting yourself, but if you’re overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people available on the app, narrowing your search might not be such a bad thing.
Don’t Be Afraid To Jump First
Their pictures are cute, the sarcastic comment in their bio really caught your attention and they’re not thirty years older than you – it sounds perfect. If you spot someone you really like and match with them, don’t wait on them to make the first move.
You might be disappointed to find you wait forever, and your boldness by messaging first might be what triggers a serious interest.
Choose a Safe Space
Of course, when you’re meeting up with a stranger you met online, there is the ever-present element of is-this-person-real. Catfishing is a real thing and people across the globe have been swindled and worse by online dates gone wrong.
To be safe, make sure you’re meeting up in a public area like a restaurant. Let your friends and family know where you’re going and if you want to be extra safe, share a live GPS pin with someone who can come to rescue you if anything goes awry.
