Featured Image: Mars Johnson | Marlin Chronicle
With worries over maintaining a normal school-life balance, preserving good mental health and dealing with FOMO comes the unexpected joy of online dating.
As we all know, college life is hectic and overwhelming at times, leaving little-to-no time for traditional dating methods.
Online dating apps provide a convenient and accessible way for people to meet and interact with potential partners.
While using such apps has drawn criticisms for seeming superficial and inauthentic, many students use online dating apps as a way to connect and explore romantic relationships.
From eHarmony and FarmersOnly radio ads to swiping right on Tinder and creating voice memos on Hinge, online dating apps and their consumers have certainly changed over the past 20 years.
In the past, college aged students would gather their courage and venture into the party scene with the hopes of having a good time and possibly meeting their life partners. Now, we live in a digital age where most if not all college students have grown up with access to modern technology.
Online dating allows individuals to easily meet new people while maintaining a certain level of anonymity and dealing with less stressful indirect rejections.
Dating apps are increasingly inclusive and provide safe spaces for finding partners with similar identities including, but not limited to, age, career, ethnicity, gender and religion.
This digital romance revolution has had a profound impact on and off campus quads, so, for dating experts and amateurs alike, here are a few helpful tips.
Before downloading a dating app, think about what you aim to get out of the experience.
Making new connections is always lovely, but beware that entering a relationship with the wrong intentions only leads to feeling disappointed and heartbroken.
Once you are confident in your decision, make a profile that speaks to you and be direct with what your dating goals look like.
While dating apps prioritize ensuring user privacy and data security, it’s important to also be aware of releasing personal information online.
While it’s okay to discuss your favorite food from the dining hall or your dream picnic date in the Wesleyan Woods, don’t ever release private information such as your home address, important passwords, social security number and more.
Giving away your phone number is optional, but always stay vigilant about possible scams.
Online dating apps are extremely accessible to everyone, including hackers or those with the intent of unethical data usage.
Once you get a hang of a life filled with awkward small talk, dining hall dates and other romantic misadventures, remember to not let the excitement of dating consume all your time and energy.
If you are catching yourself swiping right more than studying hard, maybe it’s time to put the phone down and take a break.
Remember that the college experience is fun, but academics still come first. Don’t let the pressure of entertaining a mediocre partner ever interfere with your studies.
On a final note, the experience of love in the digital age is fulfilling, frustrating and fabulous all in one and the convenience of connecting with possible partners in your own home is unmatched.
Explore relationships at your own pace and ensure that you have a balance between your social life, academics and personal time. Be safe online and enjoy swiping away!
Emma Wehr | Courtesy
Emma Wehr is a junior chemistry major. She is found performing onstage in Wesleyan Theater productions and on the field on VWU’s field hockey team. She can be contacted at elwehr@vwu.edu.
By: Emma Wehr
