Dating During COVID
Dating with the Times
We can all confess that dating can be a challenge even under the best of circumstances. The age-old questions of “Where can I meet someone?”, “Where are they at in their life?”, and “Where do we go from here?” can be exhausting for even the most experienced dater. Of course, with the introduction of online dating roughly twenty years ago, some of those questions became easier to resolve. Depending on the site or app you are using, you can meet hundreds of people a day (if you keep swiping), and you can find out exactly how someone wants a relationship to progress because each app is designed to connect people who want the same thing. However, these simplifications come at the cost of never having to meet the person before deciding if you are interested. For example, you may find your perfect match online, go to meet them in person, and realize they use the same cologne/perfume as your ex… immediate deal breaker!
Online Dating
Before the pandemic, I would have never understood online dating. Being a traditional lady, I would prefer to know who I was going to go out with back in my day. I started thinking and talking to some of my single friends and thought let us take a deeper dive into this. There is so much about physical attraction that cannot be quantified or reduced into a virtual medium! How can you truly get a sense of a person based on what they choose to show you through pictures and answers to basic ice breaker questions? The whole system seemed incredibly flawed, superficial, and cold in my eyes. Swiping through real people as if you were online shopping felt disgusting. Yet, my perspective has completely shifted since COVID19 hit… for my friends of course who need the connection. Thank god there is a way for people to connect romantically without taking off their masks at first! If I were single and ready to date for the past six months but was not allowed to leave my house, I probably would have lost my mind. There has never been a time when online dating has made more sense.
Finding Your Match
My friends have shared that dating online during the pandemic feels more like regular dating now than before quarantine began. Before, you would match with someone, exchange a few pleasantries through whichever app connected you, and then find a time to meet up face to face. The purpose was never to get to know the person through the app before you met them in person. Since the pandemic, there is a lot more reason to talk to someone for a while – albeit through facetime, text and the like – before deciding to meet in person given the risk of exposing yourself to new people these days. You can date someone for weeks, without meeting them in person! By then, you know for sure that you are definitely interested if you are willing to risk exposure just to meet them. With this type of online dating, the anticipation, the nervous butterflies, the thrill of a real date is allowed to grow. Plus, the focus is less on their profile picture or how creative they are with silly prompt question responses or even their ability to engage in small talk.
Human Connection
Online dating has completely transformed since quarantine began. In a time when people are longing for human connection more than ever, I think it is wonderful these apps can connect people. What is even more lovely is how the pandemic has shifted the culture of online dating towards getting to know the person through conversation, not online shopping for your perfect match. It will be interesting to track how these trends evolve the longer we are isolated from one another. If you have thoughts about online dating during COVID, reach out and let me know through the contact page on this site!
Safe Date Ideas
All summer people have been able to get out of the house in a socially distanced manner to spend time with their significant others. As many of us work from home, the separation between work life and private life has completely disappeared. Yet it is so important for us to reconnect with our loved ones, especially during this isolated time. Sometimes a change of scenery and some fresh air are all that are needed to ignite the excitement a date night can elicit.
Up until now, people have been able to escape to parks, a few outdoor restaurants, maybe the beach for a romantic adventure with your partner. While the pandemic did shut down many favorite date outings, the warm weather still allowed us to meet outside to enjoy each other’s company without risking exposure as much. With the weather changing as we move into fall; outdoor dates are becoming less and less possible. If you do not live with the person you are dating, this might make seeing them more challenging.
Date Ideas During COVID
This list of ideas barely scratches the surface of what is out there. A quick google search will unveil even more opportunities near you! Here are some of my favorite date ideas that I have come across as we transition to fall quarantine dating:
The Fire Pit: While this is still an outdoor date, the two of you have the fire to keep you warm! Dress in layers, bring a blanket or two, maybe some bug-spray, and definitely smores supplies. If you do not have a fire pit in either of your backyards, do some research on your neighborhood’s parks. Many have outdoor grills available for free if you bring your own coals or for a small reservation fee. Wipe down the station with disinfectant before using to negate any germs from previous users and you will be all set!
Apple Picking/Orchard Walk: Depending on your location, there may be orchards open to visitors in your state at half capacity. With careful planning, this fall favorite date idea could still be possible this year.
Virtual Cooking: There is nothing more romantic than preparing food for your sweetie. If you are not physically together, try taking the same class or cook the same recipe together from your respective homes while on the phone or facetiming. It will be like you are together and you can see whose dish comes out better! PRO TIP: whip up a fall recipe to get in the season like a cozy soup accompanied by a fall beverage like hot apple cider. Tasty!
Work Out: Similar to the cooking class, sign up for the same fitness class with your significant other. Each of you can put yourselves on mute to the class but stay talking throughout the workout on a secondary device. Sweat is the new sexy. Plus, the endorphins will brighten your mood as the weather gets chilly!
Virtual Tours: Take a virtual tour of literally anything that strikes you two’s fancy. If you are interested in real estate, take a virtual tour of the open houses in your area. If you are interested in national parks, museums, galleries, even vineyards, almost everything these days has a virtual tour option. Take advantage and explore the world from the comfort of your sofa. Talk about what you see, maybe plan a real trip together for when quarantine ends! This can be done if you have been quarantining with your romantic partner or if you are apart.
