Tinder is a location-based dating app that has soared in popularity since its initial release in 2012. Essentially, you can swipe through images and profiles of other Tinder users in your local (or not so local) area. If you match, you can chat and arrange to meet up or (more often than not) let things fizzle out. With over 20 billion matches to date, it’s clear that a whole lot of people are making use of it. But are the results positive or negative? Some people have found lasting relationships through the app and others use it for casual hookups, while some users have merely been left traumatized with haunting stories to tell of tinder dates gone wrong. So, is this a bandwagon worth jumping on? Well, at the end of the day that’s entirely up to you. Chances are if you’re reading this you’re considering it anyway! Here’s everything you could possibly need to know about all things Tinder.
How Tinder Works
The basic premise of the tinder app is relatively simple. You fill in your personal details, select a gender preference, set limits on an age range and a distance range. The app will then find other users who match your preferences and whose preferences you conveniently fall into too! You can then browse these people one at a time. Their image will load and you are given their first name along with their age. If you want to know more, you can tap their icon to see a short description they’ve filled in, further photographs they’ve uploaded, whether you have mutual friends on Facebook, their education history or work history (if they’ve chosen to share this) and a link to their Instagram profile (again, if they’ve chosen to share this in-app). You then have three options: like, superlike, or reject. This can be made simpler and faster through a quick swiping action: swipe right if you like them, up if you REALLY like them, and left if you’re not interested. This may seem harsh. You’re essentially judging people in a split moment. But that’s half the fun of the app! If you both like one another, it’s a match! You will then be able to chat directly through the app. If someone super likes you, or you superlike them, the other person will be notified immediately and given the chance to view your profile knowing that you’re interested.
Setting Up a Profile
So, now you’ve gotten to grips with the general gist of the app, it’s time to start setting up your own profile. There are several common ways that people will go about this. While the app will pull bits of information on your behalf from your Facebook profile, you alone control your choice of pictures and your short bio. As people are swiping through numerous pictures, they will often become lazy and not take much time or effort to click on profiles and gain more information. You need to catch their eye from the outset. If you’re a natural looker, you have things pretty easy. But if not, you’re probably going to have to put in a little more effort. Some rely on their friends’ good looks, adding a picture of themselves within a group so the other user can’t tell who’s who. Others will fall back on their humour and personality, uploading funny, odd, or generally baffling photos to make people want to know a little more about what’s going on.
Getting the Conversation Going
Now for the hard part. Once you match, you can either ignore the person for the foreseeable future which makes this whole escapade pretty pointless, or you’re going to have to break the ice a little. Take a look at their bio for some inspiration. Puns or jokes based on their name or listed interests seem to be a pretty popular way to go. Another option is to simply ask the person a little about themselves. Not only will this put them at ease, but it will also provide you with the opportunity to get to know them a little better. If things keep flowing, then you’re doing well and it’s looking pretty good! There are plenty of conversation starters out there, so find what you’re comfortable with and see where it takes you. You’ll likely find that the more people you talk to, the more comfortable you begin to feel with the experience and the more easily casual conversation with people who are essentially strangers will come to you.
Meeting Up
If you’ve been talking for awhile, you’re probably going to want to go on a date of some sort. After all, you probably didn’t join tinder looking for a penpal. So, hop to it! It’s generally easiest just to ask straight out whether they want to meet up. If you start the first conversation with this, the person is likely to reject you. After all, not many people are confident or trusting enough to go straight out on a date with someone they’ve never met or spoken to before. However, if you throw it in after you’ve been chatting for a little while, they may be more likely to say yes. Opt for a public place. Nobody wants to come to your house straight away. What’s more, do you really want someone who you don’t really know in your house either? A meal could be quite intense. Especially if you realise there’s no chemistry once you’re sat face to face in person. The cinema is also binding yourself into having to spend at least a couple of hours with the person. You also can’t talk properly for the entirety of the film which could prove pretty awkward. So why not suggest casual drinks at a bar or pub? This is a calm, public atmosphere where you can get to know one another a little better without any pressure. If things aren’t going well, you can simply pay for your drinks and leave. If things do go to plan, you can move from one bar to another, continuing conversation for the whole evening.
So, there you have it. Everything you could possibly need to know about Tinder! So, if this all sounds good to you, get downloading!
